Welcome to the Jungle
by Corona Black1999
Summary: Lilly Abernarthy is chosen for the 72nd Hunger Games along side her older Brother, Kolton. along her journey she discovers who her soulmates are. how will the districts react to two children of a pair of victors going into the games? How will it end? will Lilly ever meet her soulmates. (rewritten... Again! Warning; contains MUCH content I do not own.) book 2 coming soon!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"No! Mommy, please don't leave! Don't you love us? Why don't you love us? Mommy, don't go!" I beg in my dreams. _My mom packs one final box and sends it out with a peacekeeper to the train._

 _She turns to me and my older brother I'm only two but I am smarter than most two year olds. She crouches down and wipes the tears from my face. "My Lilly. My sweet little Lilly. I love you and your brother so much, but your daddy doesn't love me and I don't love him. Not anymore at least. I would take you with me but I don't want you to get hurt. You are safer with your daddy._

"But why mommy? Why are you leaving? You won't hurt me!"

 _"When you're older I know you'll understand. When you are old enough to be reaped ask your brother. He will tell you all about it and I just hope you can forgive me."_

"But—"

 _"Lilly…" Moms voice changes to a deeper and more familiar voice "Lilly, wake up. Come on Lilly wake up or you'll wake dad up!_ It's my brother Kolton pulling me out of my flashback dream. "Where you dreaming about mom again?"

"Exactly ten years ago today Kolt." I'm twelve years old now. And it was only a week until reaping day. "I just feel like she left because of me."

"How old are you?"

"I'm twelve, Kolton." He asks me every time I have time I have this dream which was almost every night.

"You're old enough for the reaping you're old enough to know. You see, when Mom won her Hunger Games she had horrible and uncontrollable flashback because her Games was one of the worst. She was almost electrocuted, then there was a cannibal, an earthquake that cause a landslide, and a whole bunch of other horrible things happened as well. Hers was one of the worst of all of the Games so far. Sometimes her flashbacks were so bad that I had to hide you because she would hear you crying and think it was someone running at her screaming. She almost killed you on accident, Lils."

"What? But-but… why shouldn't I have been told sooner!?" my voice slowly starts to rise.

"Don't worry you won't be reaped. Your name is only in once—"

"No it's not. I took out some Tesserae. My name is in four times. And I'm not afraid of being reaped."

"What! Why would you do that!? We don't need it!"

"I thought I could sell the Grain and oil." He stares at me until I get really uncomfortable. I swing my legs off the bed, go to my closet and pull out some clothes "I'm taking a shower. Please leave my room." I say to him before I head into the bathroom.

After my shower I pull on some jeans and a black t-shirt. I then pull on my brand new boots and I run downstairs. My father fell asleep in the dining room surrounded by glass bottles again. He wasn't as bad until mom left… according to Kolton. Usually when he was like this Kolton would take me to the Seam to see my friend, a gang known as District 12 Wolf Pack. The Pack showed me around and tried to keep me out of trouble but sometimes it's impossible. That's when I joined them in training with the peacekeepers. The pack had permission from the President to train with the peacekeepers.

Training with the peacekeepers had many advantages. I know many styles of fighting but my favorite is with my swords. I have twin Katanas that cross across my back. I also like throwing knives and battle axes but those aren't as special to me as my swords. I head into the center to train for a couple of hours then I'm told to head out because they've got to prepare for the Peacekeepers from out of this District. So I head to my second favorite place… the woods outside the fence. I slide through a hole under the fence then run out to where I've hidden a spear and a large hunting knife. I also have a basket and some cloth bags that I use for carrying what I find back to the districts but today I only grab two of the large bags.

I run through the woods looking to hopefully get something to sell. Any animal I could find or maybe some berries. _I could try spear fishing._ I think to myself as I walk. I come across some bear tracks and begin tracking it. As the prints get fresher I get more excited. I look up and there it is. I raise my spear—then I see the other two people and I hide. "What do we do?" the girl asks.

"We don't make any sudden movements." The boy replies. They stand frozen in fear. I roll my eyes and I throw the spear which goes right into the bear's side. The bear roars in pain and turns to run off. I get my knife out and I chase after it.

"Hey! Wait!" I hear the girl call but I ignore it. I catch up to the bear and find it lying on its side slowly dying.

Of course I do something reckless and stupid. I run over and jump to the other side. I pull out the spear and I stab the bear with it again. The bear moans in pain. "I'm sorry for your pain." I say calmly. "But with your death makes the life of so many children possible just that much longer. You are saving hundreds of children. I thank you, my brother, your sacrifice is very appreciated and your life will now be spread among others." I slit his throat and I feel the life leave his body.

I get to work on getting everything I need from him. I pack it all into the bags and the basket. Spin with my knife in hand when I hear the bushes rustle. It's the two people again. I huff and turn to the bear carcass.

"Who are you?" I don't reply. I get to work, first skinning the hide from the top out of the way then removing the fat and putting it in the basket to use later. I cut the meat up and putting the pieces into one bag. When I'm done with that I dig a large hole and bury the parts I won't use before I skin the rest of the hide off. I wrap the hide up and use some rope to keep it tied together. I whistle and my wolf comes to me pulling a dog sled behind him with a rope. I move the rope out of the way and I put his harness on him before loading my catch onto the sled. Then I look at the two who are watching me. They're still in my range so if one of them were to shoot at me with their bows I could easily dodge and send my spear through their heart. They don't move. "Who are you?" the girl repeats herself.

"Lilly Abernarthy." I state calmly.

"How do you have those weapons? Those are from the peacekeepers training building."

"It's not something that you should worry about." I grab my spear and turn to leave but the girl calls my name.

"Lilly! My name is Katniss… can we trade?"

"Trade what?" I ask.

"If you give us some of that meat then… um…"

I know she has no idea what I would want so I decide I could help her a bit "Do you know where I could go fishing?" her eyes light up.

"Yeah! I'll show you!"

"Follow, Padfoot." I order the wolf who wags his tail I smile and pat him on the head before we follow Katniss and her hunting.

"So how did you tame him?" the boy asks.

"I raised Padfoot since he was a small pup. All his brothers and sisters were killed by a cougar and his mother was badly injured to the point of death. She brought him to me and made sure I would keep him before she laid down and died. I buried her."

"Why?"

"I knew his mother before she had him and his siblings. I almost killed her but when we were face to face I just couldn't do it. Instead I killed the deer not too far away. I got half and she got half. I earned her trust. No she wasn't tame but she trusted me. I was part of her pack in her eyes."

"Wow… how long have you been hunting?"

"Since I was six. I started with little things like rabbits and squirrels then Slowly taught myself how to catch bigger prey."

"You're not going to tell us how you got those are you?"

"If I told you than we would all three die." I state.

"We won't tell anyone."

"I know." And that's all I say about it.

At the fishing hole I see a lot of fish. I think about it then turn to them. "How big are your families?" I ask.

"There's three in my family but Gale has his mother and five younger siblings." Katniss states.

"Come to my house in two days. I'll give you some of this meat after I've cured it." I tell them.

"Why can't you give it to us now?"

"I could if you're willing to give your families all kinds of diseases. I'm curing the meat so you can eat it without getting sick or dying."

"Oh. We'll be there." I nod as if I expected that reply then I turn to find the fish. I take my shoes and socks off and roll up the legs of my pants. I wait in up to my knees and wait calmly.

"You said your name is Abernarthy…"

"You probably heard of my brother. He works in the bakery with the Mellarks. Although you're probably thinking of my father, Haymitch." I state calmly while trying not to make any sudden movements. Suddenly I strike and get a rather large fish. I wrap the fish in a weave of long grass and I use the grass to create a separate barrier between the deer meat and the fish before I put it in.

"Your father is Haymitch?"

"The one and only resident drunk victor." I roll my eyes.

"I could teach you some snares." Gale offers.

"I already know snare traps… and not for just bunnies and squirrels." I say without facing them as I clean my weapons using some moss. I finish then turn to him "Thanks for offering."

"How do you know so much?"

"Practice." I state before standing up.

"We're just trying to be… friendly."

"I don't do friendly with strangers and I don't want to get to know you. That way if you're reaped than I won't feel as upset. Something I learned from having two victors as my parents."

"How old are you?"

"12." Is the last thing I say to them before running off with Padfoot tailing me. I get to where I leave my weapons and put them there along with my extra bag.

"Wait!" I turn to see Katniss and Gale standing there. Katniss is now holding two bows. "I'll teach you how to shoot this if you teach me how to throw that spear of yours."

"I already know how to shoot, Everdeen." I smirk. "Come on, Padfoot." I lead him to the fence. "I'm taking you home today." I tell him and he wags his tail. I take the bag off of him before holding the fence open so he can slide in. I slide the bag in then I follow. I take the meat to the old building where the Wolf Pack stay. They're all orphans so they don't technically have a home except for Ash's brother Magnus. Ash is my best friend and usually my partner in crime. We train together, we usually hunt together, we even speak together which really freaks people out. His older Brother, Magnus, is a lot like Kolton when it comes to Ash. Trying to keep him out of trouble. When their parents died in the mine explosion they left their house to Magnus with the condition that he take care of Ash. Their family didn't have a lot but they had the house which has helped.

I go inside and find everyone hanging out in the sitting room. "What's kickin', wolfies?"

"Heeeyyyy, Swiftfoot!" Swiftfoot is my pack name. Ash comes over and puts his arm around me. "What's in the bag?"

"Food. I got bear and a fish."

"One fish?"

"It's a big fish."

"Oh… and who is this guy." He gestures to Padfoot.

"That's Padfoot. He's my hunting partner. Right, pal?" I ask the wolf while rubbing his head. I go into the kitchen followed by Aimee and Haylee. The two of them take care of the fish while I get to work on the bear hide. Once I've finished it I say goodbye and take the hide and the bear meat to my home where I use the garage to prepare and sell my catches.

I hear someone come in and look up to see Katniss with two other females. "I wasn't expecting you to be here until two days from now."

"I was told you have great deals and we came to check it out."

"Go ahead and look. I sell meat, hides, clothes, fruits, vegetables, and some baked goods as well."

"You should have your own shop."

"I do. You're standing in it. I even have a sign, see?" I point at the handmade sign on the wall. "I'm Lilly Abernarthy, Owner, operator, and primary supplier of Abernarthy General Store from right here in the garage of my home. All fruit and vegetables is 50 cents a pound, if you have a request just let me know and I'll add it to my order book, we do accept trades."

"Very professional."

"We're not open on reaping day." I inform the woman. "You must be Katniss' mother."

"Yes. And this is my youngest daughter Prim."

"Pleasure to meet you." I smile. They buy a lot of fruit and Vegetables, a few loaves of bread that I made using the recipe my brother showed me and they bought some meat I caught yesterday. "Alright, anything else I can get you? How about some nice warm clothes for the winter?"

"Well… um…"

"A trade maybe?"

"I have a goat that gives good milk and mommy makes cheese with it." Prim suggests.

"Milk and cheese are things I find hard to get because I don't like going to the market." I decide. "Send some with your sister in two days and I'll send you a deerskin blanket."

"Deal!" Prim smiles.

"Alright then." I smile. They leave and I put my money into my box of money I've earned.

The next day I make sure to set aside my finest handmade deerskin blanket along with the meat I promised for Katniss. I put Gale's in a separate ice box and open the garage door so people would know I'm selling. I get peacekeepers and some townspeople in that pay a lot for the clothes my brother and I made then the people from the seam come and practically clean out my entire supply before I close for the day and I go get the things from the orders I have which include several more deer hide clothes. I'm lucky enough to have stumbled on a heard of five deer.

I brought them home along with the other supplies I got before going to the market and finding some things I needed to buy like empty oil lamps. I use the bear fat to make oil to go in them and I sell those also.

The next day Gale and Katniss come in and Katniss hands me the milk and the cheese. I hand her the bundle of wrapped meat and the blanket before handing Gale his package as well. "Thank you for your business." I smile. I open the door that leads into the house. "Kolton! We've got cheese and Milk!"

"Nice!" Kolton come and gets them. "Oh… uh… hi Katniss."

"Hi, Kolton." Katniss says before turning to Gale. "Come on." But he was staring at one of the lamps.

"How much are these."

"$20." I reply I see him look a little disappointed "Although they are tradable and the patch of berries where I gather is rather empty since most of the plants have died."

"We'll show you our place." Gale says.

"No need. I'm not going to take over your supply areas. Just." I look around then point to a bucket. "Take that and fill it with blackberries then bring it back and the lamp are yours."

"I'll do that. Give me an hour." Gale says excitedly then he practically drags Katniss out of my garage. An hour later he's back with the bucket full of nice and juicy Blackberries.

"These look great. I'll take them to the bakery so they can make some cobblers and I'll get some bread in return."

"Yeah."

"Thanks. Take the lamp. And this is for Rory." I hand him a hand carved wooden car with wheels that actually turn. "Tell him I said Happy birthday." Gale nods and takes the lamp and car.

A few days later my shop is completely empty and I'm not even trying to refill it. I go to the justice building and exchange the coins for dollars then I lock all my savings in a lockbox under my bed. I make sure everything I need is ready for the reaping then I head to bed.

The next morning I am woken up by Kolton. "Come on, you need to shower and get dressed."

"I don't want to."

"You have to, Lilly. Come on I've pulled out some clothes for you to wear. Go take a shower." I grumble in annoyance but I get up anyway.

"You are a pain."

"I set your clothes in your desk chair." Kolton says then leaves my room.

As I shower I think about the reaping. The reaping system is unfair, with the poor getting the worst of it. You become eligible for the reaping the day you turn twelve. That year, your name is entered once. At thirteen, twice. And so on and so on until you reach the age of eighteen, the final year of eligibility, when your name goes into the pool seven times. That's true for every citizen in all twelve Districts in the entire country of Panem.

But if you are poor and starving or you just want to be reaped you can opt to add your name more times in exchange for tesserae. Each tesserae is worth a meager year's supply of grain and oil for one person. You may do this for each of your family members as well. So, this year I entered four times. Once, because I had to, and three times for tesserae for grain and oil that I sold along with the rest of my supplies.

I know from experience that the kids from the seam resent the kids from the wealthy families because we don't _have_ to put in our names more than required. The chance of our names being drawn is very slim compared to those who live in the Seam. Not impossible, but slim. And even though the rules were set up by the Capitol, not the Districts, I can see how it's hard not to resent those who don't have to sign up for tesserae.

 _The thought of going in… actually isn't as scary as I thought it would be._ I think to myself as I wash my hair. _I'm one of the only ones in District 12 with training and I told Snow I would if he let me train. And I could get the hell out of this god forsaken district._ I debate in my mind if I would be upset at going in all through the rest of my shower.

I use my mother's old hair dryer to dry my hair then I brush it and then I brush my teeth before I walk into my room to see my brother had laid out a nice dress for me. It was black, had lace around the edges, and there was a dark red satin sash around the waist and had matching black gloves with a dark red lace starting at my wrists and going just past my elbow. Black nylon tights and Black patent-leather shoes also sat with the dress on my bed.

I get dressed then I find my mother's old curling iron and I curl my hair. The last touch is the black hat I put on that has a red ribbon around the brim just like the one around my waist. I put on my dog collar necklace I got from when our father had to take us to the capitol because he couldn't leave us alone when we were younger. Yes. I've been to the capitol so I know what to expect.

I look into the mirror and take a deep breath. "If I go in. I'm going to win and nobody will stop me." I tell my reflection. "When I win I'll transfer myself to district 2 and train to be a peacekeeper and I'll leave this hellhole forever." I look over at the only picture I own. I grab it. It's my mom with Kolton by her side, me in her arms and a teenage boy I don't know the name of. "I'm going to volunteer. And maybe I'll find my soulmate. I need to find CS… and note to self, stop talking to myself out loud." I sigh again then I walk out of my room.

I walk down the stairs to see my brother and my father both wearing nice black tuxedos with red satin shirts that match me. Their ties are black as are their shoes. They each have a hat to put on as well. "I swear you get this obsession from our mother. Why do we all match?"

"You look beautiful," Kolton tells me. "And we all match because I wanted us to. Also even if we're not reaped our father is taking us to the capitol with him this year so I want us to be presentable." He fusses over our father and I know he's just worried.

I walk over to him and hug him. "I'll be fine, Kolton. I promise." I know these next few hours will be terrible for the both of us. My first reaping. He didn't take out any tesserae. But he's worried about me because I did… That the unthinkable might happen.

I think back and remember every time we worried about each other. We will do anything to protect each other in every way we can, but we are powerless against the reaping. The anguish I always feel when he's in pain wells up in my chest and threatens to register on my face. I notice him struggling with the black tie and I take over. "There you go, Kolt."

He grins and presses his lips together and blows making a horse sound that I mimic. "Come on," I say. Just then the alert signaling it's time to gather. We get our father up and we walk with him only to be stopped by a peacekeeper when we're almost there.

"Children sign in over there."

"We're bringing our father to his seat, Sir." I say kindly. The peacekeeper looks Haymitch up and down. He's not completely drunk but he's not sober either.

"Go ahead." We get Haymitch to the stairs then stop. Kolton takes his flask and I hand him a cup of water.

"Sip this." He does. When he's done I take the cup and find a place to get him coffee. When he's done with the coffee I make him look at me. "You may not like me very much and I don't care. But I still am your daughter and you owe me for getting all the food for us. Promise you'll never drink at the reaping again."

"I don' hatcha!" He grumbles.

"Haymitch!" I snap.

"I promise." He goes up and sits in his chair. Kolton hides the flask in the inside of his jacket then the two of us go to sign in. I'm in line watching what happens.

"You didn't tell me they prick my finger." I hiss at him.

"You'll be fine. It's just to get a tiny drop." Kolton assures me. Just then the two of us were separated into two lines. The boys in one line and the girls in the other. I see Kolton standing with the Mellark boys. He helps them in their bakery. In front of them is… Gale Hawthorne who I met in the woods. I look at the girl in front of me and realize it's Katniss Everdeen. Of course it is. I don't talk to her. In fact I ignore her. I look up at the stage to see my father actually straightening himself up… wait… no, he's looking for his flask.

Attendance for the reaping is mandatory unless you are on death's door. This evening, officials will come around and check to see if this is the case. If not, you'll be imprisoned. It's too bad that they hold the reaping in the square—one of the few places in District 12 that can be pleasant. The square's surrounded by shops, and on public market days, especially if there's good weather; it has a holiday feel to it. But today, despite the bright banners hanging on the buildings, there's an air of grimness. The camera crews, perched like buzzards on rooftops, only add to the effect. I actually think I'm the only one excited for this.

People file in silently and sign in. The reaping is a good opportunity for the Capitol to keep tabs on the population as well. Twelve- through eighteen-year-olds are herded into roped areas marked off by ages, the oldest, like Kolton, in the front, the young ones, like me, toward the back. Family members line up around the edge, holding tightly to one another's hands. But there are others, too, who have no one they love at stake or who no longer care, who slip among the crowd, taking bets on the two kids whose names will be drawn. Odds are given on their ages, whether they're Seam or merchant, if they will break down and weep. Most refuse dealing with the Gamblers carefully, because even if they are scum they tend to be informants, and who hasn't broken the law?

The space gets tighter, more claustrophobic as people arrive. The square's quite large, but not enough to hold District 12's population of about eight thousand. Latecomers are directed to the adjacent streets, where they can watch the event on screens as its televised live by the state.

I find myself standing in a clump of twelve year olds from the market part of town. The richer kids. We all exchange glances and I know I'm the only one that is excited for this. We then focus our attention on the temporary stage that is set up if front of the Justice Building. It holds three chairs, a podium, and two large glass fish tank-like bowls, one for the boys and one for the girls. I stare at the paper slips in the girls' ball. Four of them have my name scrawled across them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

the two empty chairs that are next to Haymitch fill with Mayor Undersee, who's a tall, balding man, and Effie Trinket, District 12's escort, fresh from the Capitol with her scary white grin, pinkish hair, and spring green suit. They murmur to each other and then look cautiously at Haymitch who is usually late.

Just as the town clock strikes two, the mayor steps up to the podium and begins to read. It's the same story every year and I've practically memorized the entire thing just from watching the reaping since I was a baby. He tells of the history of Panem, the country that rose up out of the ashes of a place that was once called North America. He lists the disasters, the droughts, the storms, the fires, the encroaching seas that swallowed up so much of the land, the brutal war for what little sustenance remained. The result was Panem, a shining Capitol ringed by thirteen Districts, which brought peace and prosperity to its citizens. Then Came the Dark Days, the uprising of the Districts against the Capitol. The Twelve were defeated, the thirteenth obliterated. The Treaty of Treason gave us the new laws to guarantee peace and, as our yearly reminder that the Dark Days must never be repeated, it gave us the Hunger Games.

The rules of the Hunger Games are simple. In punishment for the uprising, each of the twelve Districts must provide one girl and one boy, called tributes, to participate. The twenty-four tributes will be imprisoned in a vast outdoor arena that could hold anything from a burning desert to a frozen wasteland. Over a period of several weeks, the competitors all kill each other must fight to the death. The last tribute standing wins.

Taking the kids from our Districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch — this is the Capitol's way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy. How little chance we would stand of surviving another rebellion. Whatever words they use, the real message is clear. "You are helpless against us!" **(A/N: Imagine a creepy voice!)**

To make it humiliating as well as torturous, the Capitol requires us to treat the Hunger Games as a festivity, a sporting event pitting every District against the others. The last tribute alive receives a life of ease back home, and their District will be showered with prizes, largely consisting of food. All year, the Capitol will show the winning District gifts of grain and oil and even delicacies like sugar while the rest of us battle starvation.

"It is both a time for repentance and a time for thanks," intones the mayor.

Then he reads the list of past District 12 victors. In seventy years, we have had exactly two. Only one is still alive. Haymitch Abernathy, a paunchy, middle-aged man, who at this moment is trying to sleep in his chair while Effie keeps nudging him with her elbow to wake him up. Yep; that's my father. The crowd responds with its token applause, but he's still trying to fall asleep. The Mayor quickly tries to pull the attention back to the reaping by introducing Effie Trinket.

Bright and bubbly as ever, Effie Trinket trots to the podium and gives her signature, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ever_ in your favor!" She goes on a bit about what an honor it is to be here, although everyone knows she's just aching to get bumped up to a better District where they have proper victors, not drunks who drool on your shoulder in front of the entire nation.

Through the crowd, I spot Kolton looking back at me with a ghost of a smile and I tip my hat to him. As reaping's go, this one isn't that bad. But still I have a bad feeling. I know something's going to happen that I won't like.

It's time for the drawing. Effie Trinket says as she always does, "Ladies first!" and crosses to the glass ball with the girls' names. She reaches in, digs her hand deep into the ball, and pulls out a slip of paper. The crowd draws in a collective breath and then you can hear a pin drop. I listen closely trying to hear and am surprised slightly when I feel slightly excited. Effie Trinket crosses back to the podium, smooths the slip of paper, and reads out the name in a clear voice. "Lilly Abernathy!"

I'm surprised that I'm actually called. I force myself not to laugh at the people who stare at me as I walk with confidants out of the crowd and up to the stage. I can't help but have a small smile on my face. I can't wait to win this. "Congratulations!" gushes Effie Trinket. "Heavens, you're Haymitch's daughter aren't you?"

"Yeah." I smirk.

"My, my, haven't we all heard about you! Let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!" trills Effie Trinket.

There's a few half-hearted claps but most people are silent. My dad starts to stand but I go over and whisper in his ear "Sit down and don't say anything stupid you drunken bastard."then I shove him back in his seat and I go stand by Effie.

"What an exciting day!" she exclaims happily. "But more excitement to come! It's time to choose our boy tribute!" Clearly hoping to hurry this along and get out of district 12, she hurries across to the ball that contains the boys' names and grabs the first slip she encounters. She zips back to the podium, and I don't even have time to think as she announces the name "Kolton Abernarthy!"

Kolton! I can't believe that out of all the names it was Kolton chosen.

 _Oh, no,_ I think. _This cannot be happening. Didn't our parents do this? Why are we in? they already went in._ Everybody is so shocked that nobody spoke.

No, the odds are not in my favor today… or Kolton's favor either. I watch him as he makes his way toward the stage. His blond hair is slick back under his hat so I can see the shock registering on his face even with the brim of his hat there. you can see his struggle to remain emotionless, but his blue eyes show the alarm I've seen so often in prey. Yet he climbs steadily onto the stage and takes his place.

Effie Trinket asks for volunteers, but no one steps forward. Everyone is in shock that both children of the only District 12 Victor are up on the stage to be sent as tributes. The mayor begins to read the long, dull Treaty of Treason as he does every year at this point—it's required—but I'm not listening to a word.

 _Why? Did our family mess up that bad? I can understand one of us but both?_ I think. Then I try to convince myself it doesn't matter. Kolton and I have been through so much together and we are so close that we know one of us cannot live without the other. _I am going to die so he can live_. I think then I look him in the eye and know he's thinking of doing the same to me. _We'll see, big brother, we'll see._

I never told him thank you for being an amazing brother or thanks for keeping me alive while dad got drunk off his ass and now it never will. Because we're going to be thrown into an arena to fight to the death. Exactly how am I supposed to work in a thank-you in there? Somehow it just won't seem sincere if I'm trying to slit my throat after all he did to save me.

The mayor finishes the dreary Treaty of Treason and motions for Kolton and me to shake hands. His are as solid and warm as those loaves of bread. Kolton looks me right in the eye and gives my hand what I think is meant to be a reassuring squeeze. Maybe it's just a nervous spasm.

We turn back to face the crowd as the anthem of Panem plays.

 _Oh, well,_ I think. _There will be twenty-four of us. Odds are someone else will kill me before I do._ Of course, the odds seem to hate me so I can't rely on them much.

The moment the anthem ends, we are taken into custody. I don't mean we're handcuffed or anything, but a group of Peacekeepers marches us through the front door of the Justice Building. Maybe tributes have tried to escape in the past. I've never seen that happen though.

Once inside, I'm conducted to a room and left alone. It's a beautiful place, as beautiful as one of the rooms in my father's house. It has thick, deep carpets and a velvet couch and chairs. I love velvet because it reminds me of my mother who is named Velvet. It helps to calm me as I try to prepare for the next hour. The time came for the tributes to say goodbye to their loved ones. I cannot afford to get upset, to leave this room with puffy eyes and a red nose. Crying is not an option. There will be more cameras at the train station.

Someone enters the room, and when I look up, I am so relieved to see the pack entering the small room. I run over and we have a group hug then when we pull away Ash shoves an old Chinese Tenugui in my hand. The thing that we all share a love for is an ancient form of combat called Kung Fu. "This can be your token. It belonged to the very first member of the wolf pack from China who taught kung Fu to each of the members before she brought them into the pack. Like we did with you for the last four years. You learn faster than we expected. That's why we accepted you into the pack, not because you got me out of trouble."

"I don't know what to say."

"Some say that the first four generations of the pack had the spirits of wolves and when they were in true danger they could shift into humongous wolves. Bigger than the ones in Savera's books." (A/N: One for the Twilight fans). "That's a myth though. Sensei Moon aka Swiftfoot said so in her journal."

"The rest of us got something for you as well. We all saved up from selling our catches for it so when you get back… don't forget about us poor people." Says Wry. Before letting Ash speak again.

"Listen," he says. "Getting a knife should be pretty easy, but you've got to get your hands on a better weapon and you've got this."

"I have a plan." I say. "I'll get the attention of the careers when we're training and we'll team up. That should get me whatever I need." Ash nods indicating that he thinks it's a good plan. "Or if there's wood I can make a bow or spear."

"There's almost always some wood," Ash says. "Since that year half of them died of cold. Not much entertainment in that." It's true. We spent one Hunger Games watching the players freeze to death at night. You could hardly see them because they were just huddled in balls and had no wood for fires or torches or anything. It was considered very anti-climactic in the Capitol, all those quiet, bloodless deaths. Since then, there's usually been wood to make fires.

"Yes, there's usually some," I say.

"Lilly, it's just hunting. You're the best hunter I know," says Ash. "You know how to kill just as well as the Careers because you've trained with the peacekeepers for the last five years."

"Thanks Ash. I'll keep that in mind." I agree. The Peacekeepers are back and all we could do was yell our goodbye's out the door.

It's a short ride from the Justice Building to the train station. I've only been in a car twice that I can remember. Once when I was three and Haymitch had a party at the Mayors house that he had to attend and he didn't have anyone to leave us with so he brought us along. We ended up walking home because he forgot that we had gone as well. The second time was when I was seven and I actually went to the Capitol with Haymitch to see the Hunger Games take place. I've met most of the Victors and made friends with the career Victors so I should be able to convince them to have their tributes be my Allies.

The station is swarming with reporters with their insect-like cameras trained directly on my face. I smirk and walk with confidence while following Effie and Haymitch to the train. I catch a glimpse of myself on the television screen on the wall and see that I look like a happy innocent child that couldn't be saddened by anything. A slightly tilted smile and a sparkle in my eyes hints at mischief as if I'm pulling a prank on everyone.

Kolton is doing well hiding his fear. He looks as if he's trying to think of a plan to win when I know for a fact he's just thinking how he's going to save me and he's hoping to meet our mother before we go in and one of us dies.

We have to stand for a few minutes in the doorway of the train while the cameras gobble up our images, then we're allowed inside and the doors close mercifully behind us. The train begins to move at once.

The speed initially takes my breath away. I remember it from the one other time I went to the Capitol so I'm not too uncomfortable with it after a moment. I just sit down and read as many of the survival books I could find on the shelves. This train is different than the ones that come to District 12 to transfer coal. It's one of the high-tech Capitol ones that move at 250 miles per hour on average.

Our journey to the Capitol usually will take less than a day but seeing as how this is currently the capitols only working train we have to stop in each of the districts to get the other tributes and Mentors. The tribute train is fancier than even the room in the Justice Building. We are each given our own chambers that have a bedroom, a dressing area, and a private bathroom with hot and cold running water.

I go into my room to check it out. There are drawers filled with fine clothes, and Effie Trinket tells me to do anything I want, wear anything I want, everything is at my disposal. Just be ready for our next few stops. I dress in a dark green t-shirt and Black pants then I tie my Tenugui around my head.

I pull on some boots and then pull a cookie out of the bag that the pack gave me. I love the cookies Kolton and Peeta make.

District 11… District 10… District 9… District 8. District 8 the four previous Districts step off to greet the others. That's when I see her for the first time in ten years. Microphones and cameras shoved in her face I still could see the unmistakable face of my mother. The beautiful Black hair and the brilliant green eyes that stood next to a large stocky man with a bald head.

"Kolton? Lilly?" Velvet Craft, District 8, Victor of the 51st annual hunger games, and our mother spots us standing there and comes over to us.

Kolton forgives her just like that and throws his arms around her and exclaims "Mom! It's so good to see you." Watch slightly annoyed at my brother's willingness to forgive that easily. That's how someone gets killed. I really want to hit something right now.

"Hey there, Bubba." That's what she used to call him… bubba. They both pull away and turn to look at me expectantly.

Since I was only two when she left I decide that I can get away with pretending to be clueless. "Who are you?"

She looks a little sad that I _didn't_ remember her. She steps forward and says "Well, Lilly… I'm your mother."

"Really? Well it's nice to meet you. Did you only leave because of the flashbacks?"

"I also left because I didn't want you kids to see me and your father arguing." She opens her arms for a hug.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't really care for hugging much." I tell her before climbing back onto the train and going to find my room where I stay from that point until Dinner. Soon we were off to the next District and I was so relieved to not have ran into my mother since our meeting.

The next day I was angrily walking through district 7 while the train is being repaired and I met a 18 year old Victor by the name of Johanna Mason. She was the funniest person I've met all day and she actually took away my fear and anger for a bit. When I return to the train I look at my right arm where JM is tattooed there. Johanna is one of my soulmates. Her name has appeared by her initials indicating the obvious. It's really rare to have more than one soulmate but I have two. Johanna and someone with the initials CS. I can't wait to meet CS because I have a feeling that of the two she is the one I'm going to be closer to right away.

The rest of the trip I spend mostly in my room even though the mentors are encouraging the other tributes to spend time in the same compartment and chat. After we left District 7 we went to District 6, then District 5, District 4, and District 3 all of whom seemed to be pretty small competition this year. Even District 4 who are considered Careers.

When we pull in to District 2 I finally see some stronger competition and I come out of my compartment to size them up. I love to give myself challenges and these two will be a challenge. As The group from District 2 board the train I catch the eye of a small girl around my age smirking at me with her beautiful chocolate brown eyes that gaze into my blue eyes from under her black hair that is held in a ponytail all except her bangs. I smirk back even though I felt like I was turning to a chunk of Jell-O. I go in and sit in one corner of the tribute's hangout cart and I think about her for a moment.

I see Brutus and Enobaria, the mentors of District 2, talking to their tributes. I wave at them and they wave back before leading their tributes over to me. "Hello, Lilly. It's nice to see you again." Brutus smirks at me.

"Hello, Brutus." I smirk.

"This is Ryker and Domitia." Enobaria says while gesturing to their tributes. "They think you'd make a good ally."

"They haven't seen me do anything yet." I laugh.

"I told them you're part of the District 12 Pack." Brutus says. "That means you've been trained since you were young and seeing as you're not underfed I'd say you can take care of yourself. Considering who your father is I don't think he was really raising you much."

"My brother got a job at the bakery and fed me until I could take care of myself." I shrug.

"but you can take care of yourself?" Ryker asks.

"Yeah, I can." I say. "and I was actually hoping you'd ask me to join your alliance. On the very slim chance that I win I could join the peacekeeper academy with my credentials. I always wanted to serve Panem." I look at the Peacekeeper who is standing at the door making sure no fighting went on. I inspect the suit he's wearing. "Although the uniform looks a little uncomfortable." the Peacekeeper coughs and I smile. "That's the closest I've gotten to a laugh from one of the out of town Peacekeepers. This is gonna be fun."

When we finally get District one's tributes the five of us sit together and talk which has my father staring at me angrily from his place next to my mother while my brother looks at me with curiosity. I ignore them and we discuss our strengths. They then tell their weaknesses which is unintelligent. "I'm a heavy sleeper." Ryker chuckles.

"I'm rather Clumsy." Domitia laughs.

"I'm going to die if Shimmer does." Shine sighs.

"Same here when Shine goes." Shimmer agrees.

"So you plan on dying together?" I ask.

"Yeah but we're gonna take out as many people as we can before we go." Shimmer says and Shine agrees.

"Good." I say. "You two could be helpful. Unlike some who we're told to team with." I send a glance at the tributes from district 2. I lean in so only the four by me can here. "Honestly we don't need them. I say we off them the first chance we get."

"I agree." Ryker says. "We can take them without much problem."

"What about your brother?" Domitia asks and they all four stare at me.

"Don't underestimate him." I tell them. "He may not look like he's got any survival skills but we are the children of two Victors and he remembers hearing all the advise our father would mumble in his sleep and he's good at staying out of sight from dangerous people."

"So keep an eye out for him."

"I want to be the one to take him out." I say determinedly. "If you can capture him though that would be great."

"It's a plan." the others agree and we all go our separate ways for now. I get one of the avoxes—which are tongueless servants of the Capitol—to bring me a small journal and a pen. I then draw each of the tributes and when I discover something new about them I wright it down in the journal. Their strengths their weaknesses and anything else that will be useful.

I'm finishing everything I know about Kolton when Johanna comes over and sits next to me. "So, profiles on each of your enemies. That's smart. Just don't let any of the others get their hands on it."

"Aren't you supposed to be mentoring your own tributes?" I ask with a small smile.

"What's the point. They've got no chance against you. Your father doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut. He complains how the Capitol trained you just to send you to your death. I think you're going to win." She sends me a smirk that makes my heart to a backflip. "and you're much cuter than them. So lets see what you got." she reaches for my journal but I pull it away. "Don't you trust me?"

"Not really? I watched you in the Hunger Games. You played innocent then when you got the chance you stabbed your allies in the back."

"You're too pretty to betray." She smirks and she pretends to rub her arm causing her sleeve to pull up and she purposely shows me her mark. I look from it to her eyes and I know she's not going to betray me. I hand her the book. "Grover has a limp and Ivy won't leave his side." She nods in agreement with my notes. "They also have no experience with axes because their parents were from the market. His are meat distributors and hers sell bread. She can lift a lot but is clumsy and he can handle a knife but isn't very fast." I quickly write this down then I pocket the book.

"Why are you helping me?" I ask.

"You know why." She whispers then loudly adds "Plus everyone knows you're menotors such a useless drunk he be brutus' mentor and lead him off a cliff or something stupid."

"I can mentor my child thank you, Johanna." Haymitch defends from across the room "just remember, kid, I'll lead you to the top—"

"of a cliff and have me jump." I scoff. "I've never listened to you before, Haymitch, and I'm not gonna start now. That being said I'm going to my room."

"I wanna talk some more." Johanna tells me while following me to my room. We talk the rest of the way to district 1 then she goes to hang out with the other District 7 mentor while I begin to memorize each fact I gathered of my enemies while we head to the capitol.

In school, they tell us the Capitol was built in a place once called the Rockies. District 12 was in a region known is Appalachia. Even hundreds of years ago, they mined coal here. Which is why our miners have to dig so deep.

Somehow it all comes back to coal at school. Besides basic reading and math most of our instruction is coal-related. Except for the weekly lecture on the history of Panem. It's mostly a lot of crap about what we owe the Capitol. I know there must be more than they're telling us, an actual account of what happened during the rebellion. But I don't spend much time thinking about it because I don't care. What I care about is making a better future for Panem. Not that it matters now that I'm going to die.

Effie Trinket comes to collect me for Dinner. I follow her through the narrow, rocking corridor into a dining room with polished paneled walls. There's a table where all the dishes are highly breakable. Kolton sits waiting for us along with the other tributes and the Mentors, the chair next to him empty.

"Where's Haymitch?" asks Effie Trinket brightly.

"He is currently in his room consuming the successful amount of alcohol to reach the point of unconsciousness." I answer as I finally take my place at the table among by the other Tributes and the victors. I look up and smirk when I see her confusion. "He's drinking 'til he passes out. Now can we move this along I want to read one of those many books over there."

"Well, it's been an exhausting few days," says Effie Trinket. I think she's relieved by Haymitch's absence, and coming from a girl who lived with him my whole life I can honestly say I don't blame her.

We're once again stuck due to a malfunction in the wiring mainframe so while the District 3 people are working on it I sit in my compartment and I watch the reaping and some tapes of old hunger games including Johanna's. I'm using this to come up with a strategy.

One by one, I see the other reapings, the names called, (the volunteers stepping forward or—more often—not.) I examine the faces of the kids who will be my competition. The thing that stands out in my mind is their names. District 1: Shimmer Bright and Shine Bright, District 2: Domitia Brick and Ryker Mason, District 3: Flash Drive and Cell U'Lar, District 4: Dylan Sun and Helen Troy, District 5: Deena Sparks and Albert Watt, District 6: Cooper Ford and Cara Port, District 7: Ivy Ashlen and Grover Wilder, District 8: Weft Angora and Paige Burton, District 9: Ayra Corne and Barric Cuda, District 10: Circe Demeter and Fort Nox, District 11: Willow Spud and Thorn Trail.

Last of all, they show District 12. I watch the confident young girl walk forward ready to laugh in deaths face. She takes to the stage and goes to make Haymitch stay seated before standing by Effie. As I watch her I have trouble connecting me with that girl. She seems sure about her future. I don't even have a future. "Well now that's interesting. The daughter of Haymitch Abernathy and Velvet Craft, Victors in their own rights. She seems confident enough, with good reason I'm sure."

"Not only that, Plutarch." Caesar Flickerman says to his co-commentator, "Look at the way she stands next to the Peacekeepers as if she is their boss. She's in the wolf pack. Those kids have trained with the peacekeepers in their districts since they were small children. My sources tell me she has been trained since she was five which is younger than any of the other District 12 wolf pack members did."

"She's one to watch for sure."

I watch my face on the screen as Kolton is cold. For the first time since I was reaped I show a different emotion than confidence. I see shock play across my face as my brother approaches then I see determination that to the capitol appears to be me promising to outshine my older brother.

"Now that's some bad luck." Caesar Flickerman comments as Kolton and I shake hands. "Two children of the same two victors have been selected. I cannot imagine what is going through the minds of Haymitch and Velvet."

"I'm sure they're not too pleased. Maybe we'll get a chance to ask them in person when they arrive here in the capitol."

"Right you are, Plutarch. For now though we are going to say thank you for watching and good day." and then the program ends.

With a sigh I go over to the dresser and find some pajamas to change into. Once I'm changed I climb into the bed and curl up under the blankets. I try to relax and I hope I can fall asleep because tomorrow when we arrive in the capitol there will be no time to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next morning I'm sitting on my bed reading. I had woken early and needed something to pass the time with. I find great joy in the books I found. Books on history fascinate me while books on fantasy are my favorite. As I read I think of the games and the people from other Districts. Kind people have a way of working their way inside me and rooting there but not all of them stay if I find out they aren't nice at all.

The girl I saw in district 2 confuses me the most. I don't know her… her name, age, personality, likes, dislikes… And yet I can't shake the feeling like I've known her my whole life. I look down at my arm at the initials there. _CS_ is tattooed on my arm in beautiful cursive. The person the capitol calculated was my soulmate. 99.5% of these calculations were found to be true and the other 0.5% was people whose calculated other half was not able to meet them because of the District separation. I personally have two. One on each arm. _CS_ is on my left arm and _Johanna Mason_ Is on my right arm. I make sure to keep them covered so nobody sees them although I've already shown Johanna her name.

The problem is there could be hundreds of people with CS as their initials. "Consider yourself lucky. Not many people have a soul brand in twelve. Only the people who get them are the strong hearted people who are easy to find pairs for." I was once told. _I wish I knew that girl's name._ I trace the letters etched into my arm for a bit before going back to my book.

By the time the sun rose I read 18 books all fiction but my favorite one is _Alice in Wonderland_ by Louis Carroll. "Lilly!" Effie opens the door "Time to get up… It's a big, big, big Day today! Oh, you're already up. What are you reading?"

" _Through the Looking-Glass_. It's the sequel to _Alice in Wonderland_. I love the first so I decided to read the second one as well."

"Oh I Love Alice in Wonderland. I know that Caesar Flickerman does too."

"Lovely. I'll remember that for later. Let's go eat."

I get out of bed and get dressed in a Pair of black jeans, a red t-shirt, a pair of black and White sneakers and a black leather jacket.

As we walk I focus on remembering edible plants I might fine in the arena. Dandelions, pokeweed, wild onions, pines... and many more from the books I've been reading. I go in and sit between Ryker and Johanna at the table. "Lilly!" I look up to see Haymitch leaning on Kolton who's trying to get is drunken body into a chair. "leave that damn career dog alone. You don't know where it's been."

"Ryker was in a brick crafting family. He's 6 ft 5in., weighs 254 lbs in mostly muscle, and I know a lot more than you think Haymitch. Since you're not much of a father I doubt you'll be much of a mentor but lucky for me I'm smarter than you and actually talk to these people." I smirk before turning my attention to my food.

With the training I received from the Peacekeepers I was not afraid to find all the food I wanted. Plant's however I had barely any knowledge about. I knew some berries that are safe and I knew a few herbs that could draw out some venoms and poisons but not much after that. Now, thanks to the books I found on this train, I have gained more knowledge about plants. When I finish the book I look up and see a silent woman in strange clothes putting away the books that I was reading last night.

"Tha's an Avox. They're traitors that were captured n' trained to be servants. You only talk to them when givin' an order." Haymitch says as he stumbles into his seat.

"I know what an Avox is, Haymitch." I watch everyone around him cover their faces. "You smell like vomit. Go take a shower?" I tell him in disgust with a glance from him to Kolton who groans and pulls Haymitch back to his feet. Some avoxes come over and help get him out of the room.

"Why don't you call him dad?" Mother asks me.

"As I've said before, he was not much of a father. His flashbacks were just as bad as yours. I personally believe we should have lived with you."

"So you did remember me?"

"Not your face." I state. "Or your voice. I had a few memories but mostly of Kolton hiding me from the both of you because you set each other off."

I finish my meal, and with nothing else to do I go over and watch out the window as the scenery goes by. I wish that I wasn't here. I wish I was back home where I could hunt and fish and sell things for money to buy things like clothes for the Seam kids or wood to fix the houses or food. _If Kolton wasn't here I would say I'll win so I can get all of that stuff without selling or anything like that. I refuse to ask my dad for money._ I think to myself. I hold the Tenugui in my hand staring at the Red colored name that was stitched above the red wolf paw that was surrounded by the black cloth. This was a Tenugui that a pack leader wears; one with the black cloth instead of red with a black image. Ash wears one as well.

After spending most of my morning surrounded by people that I'll have to kill I decide I've had enough and I go find some place away from them. "What's wrong, kid?" I look up to see some of the mentors walk in.

"Nothing. Just avoiding people."

"Like who?" Enobaria asks while taking a seat next to me.

"My opponents… my father… those psychotic capitol escorts." The victors laugh. "I'm just trying to enjoy my last few hours of life before I go through the whole circus parade thing and the useless training before I go fight to my death."

"You seem stronger than most kids from 12." Finnick smirks. He only won five years ago.

"I am. I've trained with the peacekeepers… but I'm still going to die. I mean have you seen Ryker? I swear he's had to have taken steroids. His left arm is as big around as I am!" Brutus laughs louder than anyone else.

"Don't worry about it kid. As long as you bring honor to your district all's good."

"District 12 doesn't care about honor. They all just want to survive. It's an instinct that we've developed, since most of us struggle to keep going with barely any food. I've seen people go a whole week on just two small dinner rolls and some cheese. And that's If they're lucky."

"I can't imagine living in a place without Honor. At least you respect each other."

"Sure. We respect each other until someone is reaped. People don't volunteer even for a sibling unless they're crazy or have a death wish."

"And the fact your were proud to be reaped?"

"A bit of both I guess." I shrug.

"You should be in district 2." Brutus decides "You'd fit right in."

"Sure." I smirk playfully. I look out the window and sigh. "I guess we're supposed to gather in one room now." I stand up and turn to look at the mentors. "Thanks for the company." Then I turn and go join my fellow tributes and the other mentors. We're all sitting in separate groups. "Haymitch." I say, trying to get the attention of my father who is trying to fall asleep once again. "Haymitch!"

"Wha'?" he grumbles.

"Do you have any advice for us at all?"

"Stay alive." He mumbles. I sigh and give up.

"Never mind, Haymitch, just go to sleep." I snap before going over to the careers. I look at Enobaria and she nods and gestures for me to sit with them.

We wait in silence as the train stops then we're escorted to cars that take us to the remake center. Being from a victor's family—even though Haymitch spends most of his money on alcohol—I've always been able to afford looking clean of unwanted hair and such. They don't have much to do to me there then I'm told to wait for my stylist Hermes.

The three of them step back and admire their work. "Excellent! You look perfect. The young ones are always the easiest to style because they haven't started growing many dark hairs on their legs!" says the second guy, and they all laugh.

I smile to show how grateful I am even though I want to slap them all. "Thank you," I say sweetly. "We don't have anyone to make us look beautiful in District Twelve."

This wins them over completely. "Of course, you don't, you poor darling!" says one woman clasping her hands together in distress for me.

"But don't worry," says second guy. "By the time Hermes is done you're going to be absolutely fabulous!"

"We promise!" says the first guy encouragingly. "Let's call Hermes!"

They dart out of the room. I sigh in amusement they're such total idiots, and yet, in an odd way, I feel a little protective of them.

I look at the cold white walls and floor and resist the impulse to retrieve my robe. But this Hermes, my stylist, will surely make me remove it at once. Instead my hands go to my hairdo, they cut it in an edgy sort of way then spiked up with some sort of hairspray, held out of my face only by my Tenugui.

The door opens and a young man who must be Hermes enters. I'm taken aback by how normal he looks. Most of the stylists they interview on television are so dyed, stenciled, and surgically altered they're grotesque. But Hermes' close-cropped hair appears to be its natural shade of Blond. He's in a simple black shirt and pants. The only concession to self-alteration seems to be how perfect his minimal makeup is. Despite my disgust with the Capitol and their hideous fashions, I can't help thinking how attractive it looks.

"Hello, Lilly. I'm Hermes, your stylist," he says in a happy Capitol Drawl.

"Hello," I respond cautiously.

"Just give me a moment, all right?" he asks. He walks around my naked body, not touching me, but taking in every inch of it with his eyes. I resist the impulse to cross my arms over my chest. "Who did your hair?"

"The Prep team," I say.

"It's nice. Classic really. A real deep edgy vibe that works for you perfectly," he says.

I expected to see someone old trying to look young. Hermes doesn't seem to be hiding his age. He's in his mid-forties with black hair that's greying on the sides and he looks at me like an accomplice to a project of his.

"You were my mother's stylist." I realize. Most of the stylists are familiar, constants in the ever-changing pool of tributes. Some have been around my whole life and some, like Hermes, have been around longer.

"Yes I was. How is your mother?" Hermes asks with a smile.

"Fine, I guess. She abandoned me with my father."

"I'm sure there's more to the story. Why don't you put your robe on and we'll talk."

Pulling on my robe, I follow him through a door into a sitting room. Two red couches face off over a low table. Three walls are blank, the fourth is entirely glass, providing a window to the city. I can see by the light that it must be around noon, although the sunny sky has turned overcast. Hermes invites me to sit on one of the couches and takes his place across from me. He presses a button on the side of the table. The top splits and from below rises a second tabletop that holds our lunch. Sandwiches of some kind and some chocolate milk. For dessert, a small chocolate cake.

What must it be like, I wonder, to live in a world where food appears at the press of a button? How would I spend the hours I now commit to combing the woods for sustenance if it were so easy to come by? What do they do all day, these people in the Capitol, besides decorating their bodies and waiting around for a new shipment of tributes to roll in and die for their entertainment?

I look up and find Hermes' eyes trained on mine. "You're expession is the same as the one your mother gave me when we met. You think I'm too cheerful." he says.

"It's not you." I shrug. "I'm just not—"

"Generally cheerful? You are known for your sunny disposition? You're mother said the same thing." he grins. "And I believe I told her that I just enjoy to see everything on the light side."

"Of course you do." I huff.

"Now the sarcasm must come from your father." He decided with a frown that also somehow seems happy. "Why are you upset about my comment?"

"Because while you live here in the capitol all sunshine and daisies I know for a fact that the kids back home are starving to death and have no reason or desire to smile. It's depressing."

"Really?" He asks while dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief. "That's so sad." and for the first time since meeting him his voice isn't cheerful. That changes after a moment of dabbing his eyes. He perks up and smiles at me. "Don't worry! Just stick with me and I'll teach you why there's always a reason to smile."

"Um… no… but thanks." I roll my eyes.

"oh hush. I'll get you into a good mood," says Hermes. "So, Lilly, about your costume for the opening ceremonies. My partner, Portia, is the stylist for your fellow tribute, Kolton, your brother, and our current thought is to dress you in complementary costumes," says Hermes. "As you know, it's customary to reflect the flavor of the District."

For the opening ceremonies, you're supposed to wear something that suggests your District's principal industry. District 11, agriculture. District 4, fishing. District 3, factories. This means that coming from District 12, Kolton and I will be in some kind of coal miner's getup. Since the baggy miner's jumpsuits are not particularly becoming, our tributes usually end up in skimpy outfits and hats with headlamps. One year, our tributes were stark naked and covered in black powder to represent coal dust. It's always dreadful and does nothing to win favor with the crowd. I prepare myself for the worst.

"So, I'll be in a coal miner outfit?" I ask, hoping it won't be indecent.

"No. You see, Portia and I think that coal miner thing's very overdone. No one will remember you in that. And we both see it as our job to make the District Twelve tributes unforgettable. Lucky for us both you and Kolton dress in a way that completely describes District twelve. You are edgy, grungy, and, dare I say it, Punk rock-esc," says Hermes.

 _I have no idea what this man is saying,_ I think.

"So rather than focus on the main job, we're going to focus on the style of District 12," says Hermes. _I feel so dumb listening to him and still not understanding,_ I think. "We do, however need to bring in some sort of culture other than the clothing style. I want to see you glow brighter than the rest." Says Hermes. I stare at him unsure of what to say. "Allow me to rephrase that. I plan on having the illusion of flames."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

A few hours later, I am dressed in what most people see as old punk rock. I'm in a pair of black jeans that are so torn up they are held together by a lot of safety pins, my t-shirt is tattered and has the logo of a band called Nirvana on it. On my feet were a pair of black calf-high combat boots, I have an old lighter hanging around my neck by a shoelace like a necklace and what looked like a pair tiny leather dog collars with spikes on each of my wrists along with some other jewelry like Skull and crossbones earrings.

"Don't worry it's not real fire. Your costumes themselves have no fire but in these gloves we have added are fire nanobites. Both of you will raise your hand and the nanobites with fly out and appear to be fire. It will fly up and form the District 12 symbol over your heads. My protegee, Cinna, designed it and he's a genius."

My face is relatively clear of makeup, just a bit of highlighting here and there. My hair has been cut short and it's natural spikiness adds to the outfit. "I want the audience to remember you," says Hermes dreamily. "Lilly, the Fire Wielder."

It's then that I realize that my stylist is completely insane. There's no other explanation to his oddness.

I'm relieved when he shows up, dressed in an identical costume—His blonde hair spiked up like the billy idol guy on his tattered shirt. He should know about fire, being a hired hand at the bakery and all. His stylist, Portia, and her team accompany him in, and everyone is absolutely giddy with excitement over what a splash we'll make. Except Hermes. He just seems a bit weary as he accepts congratulations.

We're whisked down to the bottom level of the Remake Center, which is essentially a gigantic stable. The opening ceremonies are about to start. Pairs of tributes are being loaded into chariots pulled by teams of four horses. Ours are coal black. The animals are so well trained, no one even needs to guide their reins. Hermes and Portia direct us into the chariot and carefully arrange our body positions and last minute adjustments to our hair, before moving off to consult with each other.

"What do you think?" I whisper to Kolton. "About the fire?"

"I'm terrified," he says with a grin.

"Don't be," I say. "It'll show if you are. You're not good at hiding emotions." I know that was a little harsh but we need to be tough in order to get one of us home. "I know we promised Haymitch we'd do exactly what they said, but I don't think he considered this angle."

"Where is Haymitch, anyway? Isn't he supposed to protect us from this sort of thing?" says Kolton.

"With all that alcohol in him, it's probably not advisable to have him around an open flame," I say.

And suddenly we're both laughing. I guess we're both so nervous about the Games and more pressingly, petrified of being turned into human torches, we're not acting sensibly.

The opening music begins. It's easy to hear, blasted around the Capitol. Massive doors slide open revealing the crowd-lined streets. The ride lasts about twenty minutes and ends up at the City Circle, where they will welcome us, play the anthem, and escort us into the Training Center, which will be our home/prison until the Games begin.

The tributes from District 1 ride out in a chariot pulled by snow-white horses. They look so beautiful, spray-painted silver, in tasteful tunics glittering with jewels. District 1 makes luxury items for the Capitol. You can hear the roar of the crowd. They are always favorites.

District 2 gets into position to follow them. In no time at all, we are approaching the door and I can see that between the overcast sky and evening hour the light is turning gray. The tributes from District 11 are just rolling out when Hermes appears with a small button. "Here we go then," he says, and before we can react he presses the button. I gasp and look down. Our clothes are giving off a soft fiery glow. "Remember, heads high. Fierce determined expressions. They're going to love you!"

I feel Kolton's fingers close around mine and I look down at our hands then at his face which seems to hiding his nerves really well. The crowd's initial alarm at our appearance quickly changes to cheers and shouts of "District Twelve!" Every head is turned our way, pulling the focus from the three chariots ahead of us. At first, I'm frozen, but then I catch sight of us on a large television screen and am floored by how cool we look. In the deepening twilight, with our glares we look like we could beat someone up for just looking us in the eyes. Together we raise our hands, his left hand my right hand, and watch as the "fire" comes flying out of the hidden wire in our fingerless gloves. With little wires in our headbands we are able to control the nanobites with our minds and make them take the shape of whatever we want. Instantly our flames shift into The District 12 symbol.

 _Remember, fierce looks, glare and smirk like you don't care what anyone thinks. Let them know how tough you are!_ I hear Hermes's voice in my head. I tilt my head and smirk at the crowd making sure they know who I am with my slightly arrogant smirk as the symbol splits again and turns into a pair of Dragons that go up and then go into a nosedive right for us. The flames surround us before disappearing back into the little cylinder in our armbands. The people of the Capitol are going nuts, chanting our names, our first names, which they have bothered to find on the program.

The pounding music, the cheers, the admiration work their way into my blood, and I can't suppress my excitement. Hermes has given me a great advantage. No one will forget me. Not my look, not my name. Lilly. The Edgy punk rocker from District who is so hot that she controls the fire. I am the fire wielding Rock n roller. For the first time, I feel a flicker of hope rising up in me. Surely, there must be one sponsor willing to take me on! And with a little extra help, some food, the right weapon, why should I count myself out of the Games?

Someone throws me a red rose. I catch it and give a mischievous smirk over my shoulder in the general direction of the giver. Many of them go crazy and pass out.

"Lilly! Lilly!" I can hear my name being called from all sides.

The twelve chariots fill the loop of the City Circle. On the buildings that surround the Circle, every window is packed with the most prestigious citizens of the Capitol. Our horses pull our chariot right up to President Snow's mansion, and we come to a halt. The music ends with a flourish.

The president, a small, thin man with paper-white hair, gives the official welcome from a balcony above us. It is traditional to cut away to the faces of the tributes during the speech. But I can see on the screen that we are getting way more than our share of airtime. When the national anthem plays, they do make an effort to do a quick cut around to each pair of tributes, but the camera holds on the District 12 chariot as it parades around the circle one final time and disappears into the Training Center.

The doors have only just shut behind us when we're engulfed by the prep teams, who are nearly unintelligible as they babble out praise. As I glance around, I notice a lot of the other tributes are shooting us dirty looks, which confirms what I've suspected, we've literally outshone them all. Then Hermes and Portia are there, helping us down from the chariot.

I realize I'm still glued to Kolton and force my stiff fingers to open. We both massage our hands. He gives me a smile that seems so genuinely sweet that I feel as if we're back in twelve sitting in the tree in the back yard sharing sugar cookies and talking about our day like we did when we were little kids.

"Kolton, I won't win if you go in." then I walk away from him and over to where Haymitch was. Kolton didn't know it but he is going to win whether he likes it or not.

The Training Center has a tower designed exclusively for the tributes and their teams. This will be our home until the actual Games begin. Each District has an entire floor. You simply step onto an elevator and press the number of your District. Easy enough to remember.

I've ridden the elevator a couple of times in the Justice Building back in District 12 mainly when I was doing my weekly physical update to the head peacekeeper and once to say my final goodbyes to my friends. But that's a dark and creaky thing that moves like a snail and smells of sour milk. The walls of this elevator are made of crystal so that you can watch the people on the ground floor shrink to ants as you shoot up into the air. It's exhilarating and I'm tempted to ask Effie Trinket if we can ride it again, but somehow that seems childish.

Apparently, Effie Trinket's duties did not end at the station. She and Haymitch will be there for us right into the arena. In a way, that's a plus because at least she can be counted on to corral us around to places on time whereas we haven't seen Haymitch since the train. I silently hope that he's promoting us to the rich people who will be the sponsors. Effie Trinket, on the other hand, seems to be flying high. We're the first team she's ever chaperoned that made a splash at the opening ceremonies. She's complimentary about not just our costumes but how we conducted ourselves. And, to hear her tell it, Effie knows everyone who's anyone in the Capitol and has been talking us up all day, trying to win us sponsors.

"I've been very mysterious, though," she says, her eyes squint half shut. "Because, of course, Haymitch hasn't bothered to tell me your strategies. But I've done my best with what I had to work with. The strength and training Lilly has—"

"Which is why I've been approached by the careers."

"Yes, well, I also talked about how you've both successfully struggled to overcome the barbarism of your District."

Barbarism? That's ironic coming from a woman helping to prepare us for slaughter. And what's she basing our success on? Our table manners?

"Unfortunately, I can't seal the sponsor deals for you. Only Haymitch can do that," says Effie grimly. "But don't worry, I'll get him to the table at gunpoint if necessary."

Although lacking in many departments, Effie Trinket has a certain determination I have to admire.

Our flat had almost ten times the space we had back home. _Mainly because of all the junk my father keeps_ I think snidely. They are plush, like the train car, but also have so many automatic gadgets that I'm sure I won't have time to press all the buttons. The shower alone has a panel with more than a hundred options you can choose regulating water temperature, pressure, soaps, shampoos, scents, oils, and massaging sponges. When you step out on a mat, heaters come on that blow-dry your body. Instead of struggling with the knots in my wet hair, I merely place my hand on a box that sends a current through my scalp, untangling, parting, and drying my hair almost instantly.

I program the closet for an outfit to my taste. The windows zoom in and out on parts of the city at my command. You need only whisper a type of food from a gigantic menu into a mouthpiece and it appears, hot and steamy, before you in less than a minute. I pace around the room thinking of my plan when there is a knock on the door and Effie is there calling me to dinner.

Good. I'm starving.

Kolton, Hermes, and Portia are standing out on a balcony that overlooks the Capitol when we enter the dining room. I'm glad to see the stylists, particularly after I hear that Haymitch will be joining us. A meal presided over by just Effie and Haymitch is bound to be a disaster. Besides, dinner isn't really about food, it's about planning out our strategies, and Hermes and Portia have already proven how valuable they are.

A silent young man dressed in a white tunic offers us all stemmed glasses of wine. I think about turning it down, but I've never had wine, except the homemade stuff that my father had left in my reach as a child, and when will I get a chance to try it again? I take a sip of the tart, dry liquid and think it could be improved by a few spoonfuls of honey.

Haymitch shows up just as dinner is being served. It looks as if he's had his own stylist because he's clean and groomed and about as sober as I've ever seen him. He doesn't refuse the offer of wine, but when he starts in on his soup, I realize it's the first time I've ever seen him eat a full meal. What's that all about?

Hermes and Portia seem to have a civilizing effect on Haymitch and Effie. At least they're addressing each other decently. And they both have nothing but praise for our stylists' opening act. While they make small talk, I concentrate on the meal. Mushroom soup, bitter greens with tomatoes the size of peas, rare roast beef sliced as thin as paper, noodles in a green sauce, cheese that melts on your tongue served with sweet blue grapes. The servers, all young people dressed in white tunics like the one who gave us wine, move wordlessly to and from the table, keeping the platters and glasses full.

About halfway through my glass of wine, my head starts feeling foggy, so I change to water instead. I don't like the feeling and hope it wears off soon. How Haymitch can stand walking around like this full-time is a mystery.

I try to focus on the talk, which has turned to our interview costumes, when a girl sets a delicious-looking cake on the table and deftly lights it. It blazes up and then the flames flicker around the edges awhile until it finally goes out. I have a moment of doubt. "What makes it burn? Is it alcohol?" I say, looking up at Effie.

Hermes says "Yes, the cake has spirits, but all the alcohol has burned off. I ordered it specially in honor of your fiery debut."

We eat the cake and move into a sitting room to watch the replay of the opening ceremonies that's being broadcast. A few of the other couples make a nice impression, but none of them can hold a candle to us. Even our own party lets out an "Ahh!" as they show us coming out of the Remake Center.

"Whose idea was the hand holding?" asks Haymitch.

"nobodies." says Portia. "Kolton just grabbed her hand."

"Just the perfect Addition of rebellion," says Haymitch. "That's my boy."

Rebellion? I have to think about that one a moment. But when I remember the other couples, standing stiffly apart, never touching or acknowledging each other, as if their fellow tribute did not exist, as if the Games had already begun, I know what Haymitch means. Presenting ourselves not as adversaries but as friends has distinguished us as much as the fiery costumes.

"Tomorrow morning is the first training session. Meet me for breakfast and I'll tell you exactly how I want you to play it," says Haymitch to Kolton and I. "Now go get some sleep while the grown-ups talk."

Kolton and I walk together down the corridor to our rooms. When we get to my door, he gives me a small smile "Good night, Lilly Wolf."

My slumbers are filled with disturbing dreams. The face of my family and friends as they are shoved into an arena and forced to fight for the right of staying with me in Panem, with my mother far away. Johanna and the girl I saw in District 2 battling each other to the death while I watch in terror.

Dawn is breaking through the windows. The Capitol has a misty, haunted air. My head aches and I must have bitten into the side of my cheek in the night. My tongue probes the ragged flesh and I taste blood.

Slowly, I drag myself out of bed and into the shower. I get the shower going and I wait for it to be the right temperature before I get in and get cleaned up. When I'm dried and moisturized with lotion, I find an outfit has been left for me at the front of the closet. Some stretchy black pants that's good for training, a sleeveless grey work out t-shirt with a number 12 in a darker shade of grey, and some tennis shoes. This is the first time since the morning of the reaping that I resemble myself. No fancy hair and no flames. Just me. Looking like I could be going to the district 12 training room.

Haymitch didn't give us an exact time to meet for breakfast and no one has contacted me this morning, but I'm hungry so I head down to the dining room, hoping there will be food. I'm not disappointed. While the table is empty, a long board off to the side has been laid with at least twenty dishes. A young man, an Avox, stands at attention by the spread. When I ask if I can serve myself, he nods assent. I load a plate foods that would be on the recommended meal plan I was given by the Peacekeepers at the beginning of my training. As I eat, I watch the sun rise over the Capitol.

Haymitch and Kolton come in, bid me good morning, and fill their plates. I notice Kolton is wearing an identical outfit to the one I'm wearing and I repress a sigh. It's kind of annoying but I don't really care. It's not really important to me right now because I'm just going to ignore him until we're in the arena.

I'm nervous about the training. There will be three days in which all the tributes practice together. On the last afternoon, we'll each get a chance to perform in private before the Gamemakers. The thought of training in front of the tributes and letting them see us in action before we fight to the death is really throwing me off. I turn the roll I have just taken from the basket over and over in my hands, but my appetite is gone.

When Haymitch has finished several platters of stew, he pushes back his plate with a sigh. He takes a flask from his pocket and takes a long pull on it and leans his elbows on the table. "So, let's get down to business. Training. First off, if you like, I'll coach you separately. Decide now."

"It doesn't matter to me." I shrug. "It's not like I'll listen to you anyway. I don't trust you."

"You don't have to trust me. I'm in charge and you _will_ listen to me."

"I'll listen to mother before I listen to you, Haymitch." I say calmly.

Kolton sees Haymitch getting ready to lose his temper and quickly says "You can coach us together, Dad."

Haymitch takes some calming breathes then looks between the two of us. "All right, so give me some idea of what you can do," says Haymitch.

"I can't do anything," says Kolton. "Unless you count cleaning the house after my father trashes it."

"Sorry, I don't, and I already said sorry for that. Lilly. I already know you're handy with a knife," says Haymitch.

"A knife, a bow, a spear." I shrug. "any of them really. But I prefer swords. Twin katanas. That's what I loved to use in my training."

"And you're good?" asks Haymitch.

"Well I've been feeding you, Kolton and most of the Seam for a few years now. Between me and the pack and apparently Katniss Everdeen and Gale Hawthorn we have cut the deaths of starvation down to a quarter of what it was before. I guess I must be better than average," I say.

"She's excellent," says Kolton. "She never misses. Knows exactly where to hit her prey. I've seen her train with the swords too. She's amazing. She specializes in bigger game, mainly deer but she'll occasionally get a moose."

This assessment of my skills from Kolton takes me totally by surprise. First, that he ever noticed. Second, that he's talking me up. "What are you doing?" I ask him suspiciously.

"What are you doing? If he's going to help you, he has to know what you're capable of. Don't underrate yourself," says Kolton then he add to Haymitch "She took down a grown bear. The Seam ate well that night as did we."

I don't know why, but this rubs me the wrong way. "What about you? I've seen you in the market helping the baker. You can lift hundred-pound bags of flour. And not to mention those big wooden boards you help the carpenter with," I snap at him. "Tell him that. That's not nothing."

"Yes, and I'm sure the arena will be full of bags of flour for me to chuck at people. It's not like being able to use a weapon. You know it isn't," he shoots back.

"He can wrestle," I tell Haymitch. "He came in first in our school competition last year."

"What use is that? How many times have you seen someone wrestle someone to death?" says Kolton in disgust.

"There's always hand-to-hand combat. All you need is to come up with a knife, and you'll have just as good of a chance as me or any of the careers!" I can hear my voice rising in anger. "I'm probably going to die before you if I go through with some of the plans I have."

"But you won't! You'll be like a ghost. I'll be surprised if you don't figure out how to get rid of your tracker so even the capitol doesn't know your location." that gives me an idea. "Lilly, People will help you in the arena. They'll be tripping over each other to sponsor you."

"No more than you," I say.

Kolton rolls his eyes at Haymitch. "She has no idea. The effect she can have." He runs his fingernail along the wood grain in the table, refusing to look at me.

What on earth does he mean? People help me? When we were dying of starvation because our father spent all the money, no one helped me! No one except Kolton. Once I had something to barter with, things changed. I'm a tough trader. if this is true. Perhaps some of the merchants were a little generous in their trades, but I always attributed that to their long-standing relationship with my father. Besides, my name is first-class. No one helped me!

Then faces flash in my mind. each the pack, Kolton… I realize he's right. People do care and try to help.

After about a minute of this, Haymitch says, "Well, then. Well, well, well. Lilly, there's no guarantee what weapons will be in the arena. When training go to the stations that avoid showing your top skills. Save those for your private session with the Gamemakers, show them what you can do. Until then, stay clear of your strength. Are you any good at trapping?"

"I can do everything those careers do." I mutter.

"That's good," says Haymitch.

"And Kolton, she's right, never underestimate strength in the arena. Very often, physical power tilts the advantage to a player. In the Training Center, they will have weights, but don't reveal how much you can lift in front of the other tributes. The plan's the same for both of you. You go to group training. Spend the time trying to learn something you don't know. Throw a spear. Swing a mace. Learn to tie a decent knot. Save showing what you're best at until your private sessions. Are we clear?" says Haymitch. Kolton and I nod before going to our rooms to get ready.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It's almost ten. I clean my teeth and brush my hair. Anger temporarily blocked out my nervousness about training in front of the other tributes, but now I can feel my anxiety rising again. By the time I meet Effie and Kolton at the elevator, I catch myself biting my nails. I stop at once.

The actual training rooms are below ground level of our building. With these elevators, the ride is less than a minute. The doors open into an enormous gymnasium filled with various weapons and obstacle courses. Although it's not yet ten, we're the last ones to arrive. The other tributes are gathered in a tense circle. They each have a cloth square with their District number on it pinned to their shirts. While someone pins the number _12_ on my back, I do a quick assessment. Kolton and I are the only ones who aren't from the Career districts that don't look terrified to be there.

As soon as we join the circle, the head trainer, a tall, athletic woman named Atala steps up and begins to explain the training schedule. Experts in each skill will remain at their stations. We will be free to travel from area to area as we choose, per our mentor's instructions. Some of the stations teach survival skills, others fighting techniques. We are forbidden to engage in any combative exercise with another tribute. There are assistants on hand if we want to practice with a partner.

When Atala begins to read down the list of the skill stations, my eyes can't help flitting around to the other tributes. It's the first time we've been assembled, on level ground, in simple clothes. My heart sinks. All of the tributes are older than me. Although most of the tributes aren't as well fed or have any training. You can see it in their bones, their skin, and the hollow look in their eyes. I may be younger but I'm just as experienced as the Careers. I stand straight and realize I'm just as tall as some of the fifteen year olds, and I'm stronger than some of them also. I've had a better advantage than anyone else other than the Careers from Districts 1, 2, and 4.

The slight advantage I held coming into the Training Center, my fiery entrance last night, seems to vanish in the presence of my competition. The other tributes were jealous of us, but not because we were amazing, because our stylists were. Now I see nothing but contempt in the glances of the Career Tributes. Each must have fifty to a hundred pounds on me. They project arrogance and brutality. When Atala releases us, they head straight for the deadliest-looking weapons in the gym and handle them with ease.

I'm thinking that it's lucky I'm a fast runner. I see Kolton go over to the bludgeons and look at his weapon of choice with disgust before doing his best to follow the instructions of the instructor. I however went over to the exorcise area where I start with what apparently is called a treadmill. I use this to test how fast I can run which is really fast according to the trainer. I do some stretches, lift some weights and some other exorcises until lunch was called. After lunch I start on other things not moving on until I had a basic idea of how to work with each one.

I look around at the Career Tributes who are showing off, clearly trying to intimidate the field. Then at the others, the underfed, the incompetent, shakily having their first lessons with a knife or an Axe. I move to the spear throwing only to find myself in line with the Careers and Kolton.

He goes first and misses the target completely with the first three and barely made the last two out of five. "You're turn, Lil." I hears the careers behind me laughing and muttering how talentless District 12 is. They have no idea that I hunt with a spear in the forest outside of twelve and seem to forget that I have trained since I was a little kid.

I grab the first spear and immediately shift into the position the peacekeepers taught me then I throw it. I hit it in the heart of the dummy and turn to see the gamemakers slowly stop and watch. I grab the second one and then the third, and the fourth and the fifth, each time hitting a dummy in its chest. I press the button to renew the dummies and retrieve the spears then I turn to the careers "Yes, I think you're right. District 12 has absolutely _no_ talent _at all_." The sarcasm in my voice was so hilariously exaggerated that I see a couple of the Gamemakers chuckle.

The next three days pass with Kolton and I going quietly from station to station. I feel as if I have just as much advantage as the careers. Out of us lower class districts I'm the only one that's trained with Peacekeepers I follow Kolton around and try to help him learn a few things, from starting fires, to knife throwing (My skill with the knife improves a bit), to making shelter. Despite Haymitch's order to appear mediocre, Kolton excels in hand-to-hand combat, and I am matching the careers in almost everything. We steer clear of the swords and weightlifting though, wanting to save those for our private sessions.

The Gamemakers appeared early on the first day. Twenty or so men and women dressed in deep purple robes. They sit in the elevated stands that surround the gymnasium, sometimes wandering about to watch us, jotting down notes, other times eating at the endless banquet that has been set for them, ignoring the lot of us. But they do seem to be keeping their eye on the District 12 tributes. Several times I've looked up to find a few fixated on me. They consult with the trainers during our meals as well. We see them all gathered together when we come back.

Breakfast and dinner are served on our floor, but at lunch the twenty-four of us eat in a dining room off the gymnasium. Food is arranged on carts around the room and you serve yourself. The Career Tributes tend to gather rowdily around one table, as if to prove their superiority, that they have no fear of one another and consider the rest of us beneath notice. Most of the other tributes sit alone, like lost sheep. No one says a word to us. I sit at a table in a corner next to the Careers with my back in the corner pretending to close off everyone while being completely relaxed as I eat my foot while watching the others, mainly the careers.

I stop paying attention not long after my food was gone as I stare at the table completely mind blank until I feel someone's hand on my shoulder shaking me out of my daydream. "You okay 12?"

I look up and see the girl from District 2 on my left with the girl from 1 on her left, than the boy from 1, The two from District 4, and then the Boy from 2 was on my right. "I'm fine, just trying to clear my head a bit."

"What's that on your arm that you're rubbing?"

"I… It's… nothing." My soulmark. I was wondering who it was that I was destined to be with and I was subconsciously tracing the initials that are etched on my arm. "So what is it you need?"

"Can't we talk to our favorite opponent without wanting something?"

"Depends, are you from Districts 1, 2, or 4?"

The careers all laugh and the guy from 2 puts his arm around my shoulder. "Point taken. But seriously," He becomes really businesslike "We spoke with our mentors and they seem to think you would make the perfect ally. Join our alliance and in return we will give you supplies while in the arena." I glance at each of them to see if they're serious.

"I'll think about it." I say cryptically while looking unfazed. I see Kolton stand to come over to see what was happening. "For now we won't let anyone other than your mentors know about this offer. Since my brother is coming over you might want to go back to your table."

They all smirk and stand. The guy from 2 loudly says "See you in the Arena."

"What was that about?" my brother asks eyeing the six careers wearily.

"They were telling me what they will do if I keep outshining them… Or rather what they think they'll do."

"You should be careful."

"I know, I know. I shouldn't attract their attention _too_ much or they might kill me… or worse" A look of false horror crosses my face, "What if they ask me to join them!"

"Ha ha very funny." We both fall silent.

"Did I ever tell you how I took down that bear?" I ask after the painful pause.

"No, but it sounds fascinating," says Kolton.

I try and animate my face as I recall the event, a true story, in which I'd foolishly challenged a black bear over the rights to a beehive. Kolton laughs and asks questions right on cue.

On the second day, while we're taking a shot at Axe wielding, he whispers to me. "I think we have some shadows."

I completely decimate a dummy with a swing of my Axe, which I'm not too bad at actually,and see the Careers standing about 5 feet from us, watching us. No not watching us, they are watching me. They don't see anything interesting about Kolton but I see them watching me slightly impressed. I would make a good ally for them… I think I have one option on how to get Kolton out of the arena alive.

I turn to the moving dummies down at where I'm supposed to throw the Axe. Raising the Axe up I chuck it as hard as I can. It flies past the dummies and imbeds itself into the wall. "I think they see you as a threat or possibly an ally," he says softly.

I bite my lip. Whatever the case I didn't like the fact that they are coming over here right now.

"What can we do about it?" I ask him, more harshly than I intended.

"Nothing to do," he says back. "Just making conversation."

"Hello," say the boy from one "I don't think we ever introduced ourselves. I'm Shine this is Shimmer, from District 1, this is Domitia and Ryker from District 2, and this is Dylan Sun and Helen Troy from District 4. I couldn't help but notice you were having some trouble throwing that Axe."

"Really? I didn't think the high and mighty careers would pay any attention to a lowly girl from District 12." I say as if I wasn't trying to insult them.

"That's funny. But really, let me show you how you should throw that Axe. We want to have some competition that can actually fight back. It feels more like a war and less like a slaughter that way."

"Are you going to show my brother as well? I don't accept help unless it's offered to the both of us." I can see in their eyes that it was not their intention.

"I will," says Domitia with a smile that was obviously slightly forced. So the careers then told us what they know… at each of the stations.

"Why don't we go to weight lifting or swords?" asks Shimmer.

"Our mentor told us not to. We'll get to them later." I dismiss trying not to laugh at their confusion.

Back on the District 12 floor, Haymitch and Effie grill us throughout breakfast and dinner about every moment of the day. What we did, who watched us, and how the other tributes size up. When they do this I let Kolton do most of the talking so I don't reveal the information that I have gathered on each opponant. Hermes and Portia aren't around, so there's no one to add any sanity to the meals. Not that Haymitch and Effie are fighting anymore. Instead they seem to be of one mind, determined to whip us into shape. Full of endless directions about what we should do and not do in training. Kolton is more patient, but I become fed up and surly.

When we finally escape to bed on the second night, Kolton mumbles, "Someone ought to get Haymitch a drink."

I snicker than mutter "Good night, Kolt."

"Night, Lilly wolf," he says tiredly. After that, we only talk in front of people.

On the third day of training, they start to call us out of lunch for our private sessions with the Gamemakers. District by District, first the boy, then the girl tribute. As usual, District 12 is slated to go last. By the time they call the girl from 11, we are left alone. We sit in silence until they summon Kolton. He rises.

"Remember what Haymitch said about being sure to throw the weights." The words come out of my mouth without permission.

"Thanks. I will," he says. "You . . . good luck."

I nod. I don't know why I said anything at all. Although if I'm going to lose, I'd rather Kolton win than the others. Better for our District and for my parents.

After about fifteen minutes, they call my name. I fix my hair, set my shoulders back, and walk into the gymnasium. Instantly, I know I'm in trouble. They've been here too long, the Gamemakers, and sat through twenty-three other demonstrations. They had too much to wine, most of them. Want more than anything to go home. Except when the see me they all perk up a bit.

I walk over to the swords and pick up the twin Katana's sitting on the rack. I prepare to take out a few dummies but a gamemaker waves his hand and a bunch of avoxes come over to take the place. This will be more challenging because they'll be trying to tackle me to the ground and they'll avoid all my swings. I imagine that I'm in a video game facing off against the enemy as I slash through each avox. I wield the blades perfectly and end on one knee with my arms held out. One sword tip faced north and the other west and I'm surrounded by dead or dying avoxes. I clear my throat and stand to face the gamemakers.

They all get over their shock and slowly burst into applause. I bow respectfully before putting the swords down and going to the elevator where I go up to our place. I walk in and Find Kolton, both stylists and prep teams, both of my parents, Effie, and most of the Mentors. Then I realize most of the tributes are there as well "Why are you covered in blood?" Kolton asks.

"Calm down, I'm fine." I sigh as I turn to head to my room.

"Lilly!"

"I'm fine, Kolton!"

"Lilly Velvet Abernarthy, Answer your brother!" Haymitch demands.

"Piss off, Haymitch!" I call to him before closing myself in my bedroom.

I sit on my bed in clean close with wet hair from taking a shower. What did I do? I killed those Avoxes? What does it matter? It's not like I was going to not kill in the Games anyway. Who cares if I did anyway? They were just criminals. None of their lives were important so why should I care. Life in general is unimportant to the capitol.

Haymitch and Effie are knocking on my door. I shout for them to go away and eventually they do. It takes at least an hour for me to cry myself out. Then I just lay curled up on the bed, stroking the silken sheets, watching the sun set over the artificial candy Capitol.

Finally I calm down. I think of it as now I know what it's like and won't have a problem doing it in the games. I check the time then go out knowing that the results are going to be televised soon Since the training isn't open to viewers, the Gamemakers announce a score for each player. It gives the audience a starting place for the betting that will continue throughout the Games. The number, which is between one and twelve, one being irredeemably bad and twelve being unattainably high, signifies the promise of the tribute.

The mark is not a guarantee of which person will win. It's only an indication of the potential a tribute showed in training. Often, because of the variables in the actual arena, high-scoring tributes go down almost immediately. And a few years ago, the boy who won the Games only received a three. Still, the scores can help or hurt an individual tribute in terms of sponsorship. I hope my skill with the swords is enough to get at least an eight or nine.

Everyone is still there waiting as they replay the reaping, the parade and they lead up to the score announcement. I sit next to the careers much to their delight. My mother dishes a plate of food and hands it to me. _How does she know I like meat?_ I see Kolton give her the thumbs up and it becomes clear how she knows.

The adults begin some chitchat about the weather forecast, and I let my eyes meet Kolton's. He raises his eyebrows. A question. _What happened?_ I just give my head a small shake. Then, as they're serving the main course, I hear Haymitch say, "Okay, enough small talk, just how bad were you today?"

Kolton jumps in. "I don't know that it mattered. By the time I showed up, no one even bothered to look at me. They were singing some kind of drinking song, I think. So, I threw around some heavy objects until they told me I could go."

That makes me feel a bit better. It's not like Kolton attacked the Gamemakers, but at least he was provoked, too.

"And you, sweetheart?" says Haymitch.

I don't even bother to act as if I've done something wrong as I nonchalantly reply "When I walked in they were like Kolton said. Drunk and bored… you would fit right in." I snicker and he raises his glass to me. "But when they saw me they all seemed to perk up a bit. I showed them my skills with the swords and they seemed to enjoy it."

"That's good." Haymitch nods. "You might get a decent score that means."

First they show a photo of the tribute, than flash their score below it. The Career Tributes naturally get in the eight-to-ten range. Most of the other players average a five.

District 12 comes up last, as usual. Kolton pulls an eight so at least a couple of the Gamemakers must have been watching him. I dig my fingernails into my palms as my face comes up, expecting the worst. Then they're flashing the number eleven on the screen.

Eleven!

Effie Trinket lets out a squeal, and everybody is slapping me on the back and cheering and congratulating me. But it doesn't seem real.

"There must be a mistake. How . . . how could that happen?" I ask Haymitch.

"Guess they really liked it." he says. "They've got a show to put on. They need some players with some heat."

"Lilly, the Girl who plays with fire." says Hermes and gives me a hug. "Oh, wait until you see your interview costume."

"More flames?" I ask.

"Possibly. But not the main focus this time," he says mischievously.

Kolton and I congratulate each other, another awkward moment. We've both done well, but what does that mean for the other? I escape to my room as quickly as possible and burrow down under the covers. The stress of the day, particularly the crying, has worn me out. I drift off, reprieved, relieved, and with the number eleven still flashing behind my eyelids.

At dawn, I lie in bed for a while, watching the sun come up on a beautiful morning. It's Sunday. A day off at home. I wonder if Gale and Katniss are in the woods yet. Do they even spend their Sundays hunting? Why do I care? I don't even know them that well. They are just two people I've seen around school and around the forest but that's it.

Effie's knocking at the door, reminding me there's another "big, big, big day!" ahead. Tomorrow night will be our televised interviews. I guess the whole team will have their hands full readying us for that.

I get up and take a quick shower, being a bit more careful about the buttons I hit, and head down to the dining room. Kolton, Effie, and Haymitch are huddled around the table talking in hushed voices. That seems odd, but hunger wins out over curiosity and I load up my plate with breakfast before I join them.

The stew's made with tender chunks of lamb and dried plums today. Perfect on the bed of wild rice. I've shoveled about halfway through the mound when I realize no one's talking. I take a big gulp of orange juice and wipe my mouth. "So, what's going on?"

Haymitch and Kolton turn and stare at me as if they have to tell me something but are unsure of my reaction.

"You don't have to wait until I'm done. I don't really listen to anything involving Haymitch talking." I smirk.

"Well, there's been a change of plans. About our current approach," says Haymitch.

"What?" I ask. I'm not sure what our current approach is. Trying to appear mediocre in front of the other tributes is the last bit of strategy I remember him saying but even that bit is a little fuzzy.

Haymitch shrugs. "Kolton has asked to be coached separately."

I stare at them. "Okay."

"He wants to be trained separate." Haymitch says slower as if he didn't think I understood.

"Okay" I reply again slower so he heard me

"I'm sorry, Lilly."

"Don't apologize I didn't even know he was training us." I smirk. "I'm gonna go hang out with Johanna." I get up to leave but Haymitch grabs my arm.

"You'll each have four hours with Effie for presentation and four with me for content," says Haymitch. "You start with Effie, Lilly."

"If I get annoyed I'm leaving." I state before going to my room to wait for the escort.

When she gets there Effie pulls out a full-length gown and high-heeled shoes, not the ones I'll he wearing for the actual interview, and instructs me on walking. I refuse at first so she compromises and gets me to try walking in heels. I try for a bout ten minutes before I get my flat shoes on. "I'm out of here." I say while heading for the door. She blocks me.

"We're not done yet!" She screeches. "How can I help you become a proper young woman if you're not here!?"

"Teaching me how to be a woman is my mother's job. So I'm going to go talk to her and you can not stop me or I will use force to move you." She hesitates and I take a threatening step forward. She hops out of the way and I walk out to the main room before going to the elevator ignoring Haymitch, Kolton and Effie calling me back.

I go to floor seven where Johanna is sitting on the couch while the other mentor, Blight, is working with his tributes. "Johanna!" I call and they all turn to look at me.

"We're busy, 12." Blight says sternly.

"stuff it." I tell him then I go over to Johanna. "I need you to stop me from killing my escort because if she tries to put me in heels one more time I'm taking the heels those stilettos and I'm driving them into her eyes." Johanna laughs and get up off the couch.

"Come with me." She grins while putting an arm around my shoulders and leading me down to the training room.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"The gamemakers won't be in here anymore. The tributes can come train a bit more if they need it or they could come get some anger out. They don't know that though. Not even the careers." she goes over and grabs an ax then turns to me with a grin. "Show me how you got that eleven."

"I don't want to hurt you." I sigh.

"We're just sparing." Jo laughs. I hesitate then go over and I grab my favorite swords from the rack. We get into an open space and we get ready. She swings first and I counter and with that we're in a full out battle. I'm so focused on winning that I don't notice her make a signal until I hear the doors lock. I push her away and look at the door in shock. "Just giving us a little privacy. Now, Is that the best you've got." that angers me. I attack her with as much force as I would my enemy. With every move I back her closer to the wall and I don't realize this is what she wants.

She sends one of my swords flying to my right then drags the other out of my left hand with her ax which goes with it and we carry on fighting hand-to-hand until she's pressed against the wall. We stand there gasping and sweating and I have her pinned to the wall. "Now what?" She smirks at me.

"Sorry." I mutter while I start to pull away. She grabs my wrists and flips us so she's the one pinning me to the wall her hands holding mine over my head.

"Never be sorry." she whispers in my ear. The feeling of her breath on my neck causes me to shiver then she leans down and her lips are on mine. I gasp and she takes advantage of my mouth opening by sticking her tongue in and our tongues fight for dominants. I push her and she's so surprised by my strength she actually loses her balance and falls to the ground. Before she can respond I straddle her and continue kissing her. I'm not big enough to pin her but she doesn't mind that I'm on top of her. Electricity flows between us causing us to shiver. This continues for a moment then she rolls us so she's pinning me and she gets more into it.

She trails kisses down to my neck. "Jo—Johanna!" I gasp while pushing her. "Stop. Wait!" she sits up and looks at me. "What is happening?"

"Sorry, kid." She chuckles breathlessly "I forgot how young you are." She stands up and pulls me to my feet. "Straiten yourself up." I nod and go to the mirror on the wall to make myself look presentable while she puts the weapons away.

Johanna takes me to my floor. "Go take a shower then meet me on my floor." She tells me as the elevator opens. I nod and go to do what she says.

Down on the 7th floor she comes out of her room looking like she was also cleaned up so she must have taken her own shower. She pulls me into a hug and I breath in her woodsy scent. "Let's go see your mom." She mutters and leads me to the elevator.

Down one floor below Jo's my mom looks up at us in surprise. "Hi, mom." I say and she smiles hearing me say that.

"What's going on?" The other District 8 mentor demands.

"I'm talking to my mother." I state then turn to my mom. "Mama, I need your help." For the first time I actually wanted my mom to help me. So between mom and Johanna they instruct me on how to deal with the interview.

When I return to my floor Haymitch and Kolton are waiting along with Effie, the Stylists and the prep teams. "What?" I demand.

"You need to apologize." Haymitch demands.

"No." I state then I look at Hermes. "I respect you. Your work is amazing but if you bring a gown and a pair of heels to me I will NOT wear them." then to Effie I say "I don't care who you think you are but if you ever talk to me like you're my boss or mom then I will hurt you. Do not block me from going somewhere again." then to Kolton I say "Mother said hi." and with that I go to my room and change into pajamas before going to bed.

In the morning, it's not the girl but my prep team who are hanging over me. My lessons with Effie and Haymitch are over. This day belongs to Hermes. He's my last hope. Maybe he can make me look so wonderful, no one will care what comes out of my mouth.

The team works on me until late afternoon, turning my skin to glowing satin, stenciling patterns on my arms, and painting flame designs on my twenty perfect nails. They don't do much to my hair, they just brush it so it falls down to my shoulders. They paint designs on my arm that cover my soulmarks enough to not be readable unless looked at closely.

Then Hermes enters with what I assume is my costume, but I can't really see it because it's covered. "Close your eyes," he orders.

I can feel the shirt's fabric as they slip it down over my torso, than I raise one leg at a time so they can pull one what feels like leather pants. I clutch Octavia's hand as I blindly step into my shoes, glad to find they are not heels like the pair Effie had me try, but a pair of combat boots that cover my calves and almost go up to my knees. There's some adjusting and fidgeting. Then silence.

"Can I open my eyes?" I ask.

"Yes," says Hermes. "Open them."

I barely recognize myself in some ways but then I see some things that I see some parts of me. Tight leather pants, a tight t-shirt with flames on it, a leather jacket, and then the boots (A/N: Doc Martins). This is me then they covered it with chains and spikes and a lot of metal necklaces and bracelets, the skull crossbones earrings make their return as does the dog collar bracelets.

The cuffs of the pants has flames embroidered all the way around that goes up to the bottom of my knees the jacket also had flames that reach half way up my back and across the top of the jacket in bold fiery red letters is something that makes me want to cry. They had Stitched in _Wolf Pack 12_ on each of my arms and under the Wolf pack seal—a large red and black wolf print—on my back. Above the seal is the name _Swiftfoot_ which is my code name.

I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am badass! I look ready to kill someone with a single glare. For a while, we all just stare at me. "Hermes," I finally whisper. "Thank you."

"Twirl for me," he says. I tuck my arms in and spin around stopping facing him again with a slightly arrogant smirk. The prep team screams in admiration.

Hermes dismisses the team and has me walk around and work on a confident stride. "Hermes, how many wolf packs are there? I thought 12 was the only one who has us."

"One in each District including the capitol. The wolf packs are a backup plan. The wolves for generations are chosen from the toughest kids who will one day come together to defend their country. The pack made an agreement with the first President of Panem that they will defend Panem when the time comes if they can live by the American constitution. The wolves have something that everyone in Panem dreams of… freedom!"

"So everyone knows who the wolf packs are?"

"Unless they haven't been paying attention to anything."

"Okay." We fall silent for a bit.

"So, all ready for the interview then?" asks Hermes.

"Yeah. I am." I say although I am a nervous wreck.

"You seem to get along with Miss Mason."

"So?" I ask defensively.

"If you're nervous just pretend you're telling her about you. Answer the questions as if she's asking them. She's going to be in the balcony with the other mentors and with us stylists. Just be yourself!" That's actually good advise. I nod and sit quietly waiting to go.

Finally when it's time I look at the screen to find where Johanna is. She's between Mother and Blight. The interviews take place on a stage constructed in front of the Training Center. Once I leave my room, it will be only minutes until I'm in front of the crowd, the cameras, all of Panem.

As Hermes turns the doorknob, I stop his hand. "Hermes…" I'm completely overcome with stage fright.

"Remember, they already love you," he says gently. "Just be yourself. Be the funny, sarcastic, confident girl who can turn anything into a joke and be the girl who gets defensive about her loved ones."

We meet up with the rest of the District 12 crowd at the elevator. Portia and her gang have been hard at work. Kolton looks striking in a black suit with flame accents. While we look well together, it's a relief not to be dressed identically, Kolton was a proper rich boy from a rich family while I was a fiery punk kid who loved the streets. Haymitch and Effie are all fancied up for the occasion. I avoid Haymitch, but accept Effie's compliments. Effie can be tiresome and clueless, but she's not destructive like Haymitch.

When the elevator opens, the other tributes are being lined up to take the stage. All twenty-four of us sit in a big arc throughout the interviews. I'll be last, or second to last since the girl tribute precedes the boy from each District. How I wish I could be first and get the whole thing out of the way! Now I'll have to listen to how witty, funny, humble, fierce, and charming everybody else is before I go up. Plus, the audience will start to get bored, just as the Gamemakers did. And I can't exactly kill avoxes with a sword get their attention. There is not much chance for interaction now, as we walk single-file to our seats and take our places.

Just stepping on the stage makes my breathing rapid and shallow. I can feel my pulse pounding in my temples. It's a relief to get to my chair, because between the heavy boots and my legs shaking, I'm afraid I'll trip. Although evening is falling, the City Circle is brighter than a summer's day. An elevated seating unit has been set up for prestigious guests, with the stylists commanding the front row. The cameras will turn to them when the crowd is reacting to their handiwork. A large balcony off a building to the right has been reserved for the Gamemakers. Television crews have claimed most of the other balconies. But the City Circle and the avenues that feed into it are completely packed with people. Standing room only. At homes and community halls around the country, every television set is turned on. Every citizen of Panem is tuned in. There will be no blackouts tonight.

Caesar Flickerman, the man who has hosted the interviews for more than forty years, bounces onto the stage. It's a little scary because his appearance has been virtually unchanged during all that time. Same face under a coating of pure white makeup. Same hairstyle that he dyes a different color for each Hunger Games. Same ceremonial suit, midnight blue dotted with a thousand tiny electric bulbs that twinkle like stars. They do surgery in the Capitol, to make people appear younger and thinner. In District 12, looking old is something of an achievement since so many people die early. You see an elderly person you want to congratulate them on their longevity, ask the secret of survival. A plump person is envied because they aren't scraping by like the majority of us. But here it is different. Wrinkles aren't desirable. A round belly isn't a sign of success.

This year, Caesar's hair is a deep green color and his eyelids and lips are coated in the same hue. He looks freakish but less frightening than he did last year when his color was crimson and he seemed to be bleeding. Caesar tells a few jokes to warm up the audience but then gets down to business.

The girl tribute from District 1, Shimmer Bright, looking provocative in a see-through gold gown, steps up the center of the stage to join Caesar for her interview. You can tell her mentor didn't have any trouble coming up with an angle for her. With that flowing blonde hair, emerald green eyes, her body tall and lush… she's sexy all the way.

Each interview only lasts three minutes. Then a buzzer goes off and the next tribute is up. I'll say this for Caesar, he really does his best to make the tributes shine. He's friendly, tries to set the nervous ones at ease, laughs at lame jokes, and can turn a weak response into a memorable one by the way he reacts.

I sit like I do at home, leaned back and relaxed, the way Effie hates, as the Districts slip by. 2, 3, 4. Everyone seems to be playing up some angle. The boy from District 2 is a ruthless killing machine. The pair from three are both really quiet and smart which is typical of District 3 tributes. I spotted Hermes as soon as he took his place, but even his presence cannot relax me so I look at Johanna and calm down a bit when she smirks at me. 8, 9, 10. The boy from 10 is very quiet. I feel my palms sweat and I subtly wipe them on my shirt. 11.

It's not too long before they call Lilly Abernarthy. "So, Lilly, the Capitol must be quite a change from District Twelve. What's impressed you most since you arrived here?" asks Caesar.

Stay calm, answer the question… What was the question? It's as if the words make no sense.

I'm nervous but it doesn't show behind the dark sunglasses Hermes added to my look. I gaze at Johanna and return her smirk with a slightly arrogant smirk of my own. I imagine the words coming from her lips. _"What's impressed you most since you arrived here?"_ I rack my brain for something that made me happy here. _Be honest,_ I think. _Be honest._

"To be honest with you I have to say the interesting people I've seen. Most of you are really nice, but I have to say one of my favorites is my designer Hermes. He likes to tell me some stories he heard as a kid. Like the one about the wolf Packs of Panem. Tell me, Caesar, what is a fellow wolf like yourself doing with an interviewing job? I'd assume you'd be more of the standup comedian type" I say calmly with my confident smirk adding to my humor.

Caesar laughs, and vaguely I realize some of the audience has joined in.

"How did you know I was part of the wolf pack" asks Caesar.

"A wolf always knows when another wolf is near. You can call it intuition but I like to refer to it as my creepy psychic powers." I smirk. The crowd laughs again.

"You are one of the wolves?" He looks at me in surprise. I stand and turn so both he and the camera can see the back of my jacket. "My alpha sent a letter to Hermes. I am Swiftfoot of District 12."

"Wonderful!" He laughs then says confidently "Now, Lilly, when you shot that fire out of your hand I was scared! It was terrifying and exciting all at once. What did you think of that fire?"

"You mean after I got over my fear of having my hair catch on fire?" I scoff. Big laugh. A real one from the audience.

"Yes. Start then," says Caesar.

"I thought Hermes was brilliant and it was the coolest clothes with the hottest technology, pun intended. My thanks to the techs in District 3. I love this outfit also." I stand off and show of the flame. "I mean, look at it! Talk about the hottest clothes in Panem am I right?" they laugh at my small joke before admiring my clothes.

"I think you could start a new trend. Chains and spikes, am I right people?"

I laugh "You can't forget the black leather. You at least need a black leather jacket for it to work. Also technically it's not a new style. In fact this style was very popular in the 1970's. I'm just bringing Rock n Roll back. I mean we can't _all_ have you're sense of fashion. I think I personally would look ridiculous dressed like that." Another laugh.

"How about you give a spin so we can see the whole outfit." I spin once and stop in a cool looking pose. "Woah! That's… wow! Definitely more grace than your father, am I right Haymitch?" Caesar laughs good-heartedly.

Everyone's hooting as the cameras find Haymitch and he waves them away good-naturedly and points back to me.

I grin "Right, because nothing says like father like daughter more than drunken stage dives, right?" The crowd roars with laughter.

"It's all right," Caesar reassures the crowd. "She's safe with me. So, how about that training score? E-le-ven. Give us a hint what happened in there."

I glance at the Gamemakers on the balcony and do my best to keep my calm appearance. "I don't know what I'm allowed to tell you… I guess all I can say is they liked my _edge_."

The cameras are right on the Gamemakers, who are chuckling and nodding.

"You're killing us," says Caesar as if in actual pain. "Details. Details."

I say. "Sorry. I can't say. but it was truly _gut splitting_. I got an eleven because my personality was so _sharp_ it _cut_ deep."

"I'm guessing it was some sort of blade?" I give him a wicked grin but don't reply. "So, let's go back then, to the moment they called your name at the reaping," says Caesar. "And you you took to the stage with the confidence of a District 2 tribute. Do you think you can win?"

"I _know_ I _can_ win." I laugh. "Whether I _will_ or not is an entirely different matter."

You could hear a pin drop in the City Circle now. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm a 12 year old girl and only 1 out of 26 tributes. If the odds are in my favor they have a funny way of showing it." I smile.

"You're not upset about it though?"

"No. what's the point." I shrug. "Everyone dies. Even when they aren't in the games. My death won't be any different. But I would like to stop my opponents from getting the wrong idea right now. I'm not going out without a fight. Trust me when I say—and you can ask the gamemakers to confirm it—I'm a good fighter."

"I bet you are," says Caesar. The buzzer goes off. "Sorry we're out of time. Best of luck, Lilly Abernarthy, tribute from District Twelve."

The applause continues long after I'm seated. I look to Johanna and I see her grin at me.

I'm still in a daze for the first part of Kolton's interview. He has the audience from the get-go, though; I can hear them laughing, shouting out. He plays up the junior baker, comparing the tributes to the breads from their Districts. I'm coming back into focus when Caesar asked him about me.

"So, Kolton, do you have very many friends back home in district 12?"

"N-not exactly."

"But there is somebody?"

"Yeah I guess."

"Well you go in and you win. That way you could go home and see this friend all the time." Caesar says.

"Thanks but that won't really work."

"Why not?"

Kolton looks up with his watery baby blues that make even some of the men teary. "The only friend I want or need is here with me."

"You're going into the arena with Lilly. How do you feel about it?"

Kolton hesitates, then sighs "She thinks that she's going to sacrifice herself to save me but she's wrong."

"What do you mean."

"When our mother left us to return to District 8 to protect us from her when she had her flashbacks she made me promise to always protect Lilly. I swore I would and if that means killing myself at the blood bath than that's what I'll do."

For a moment, the cameras hold on Kolton's downcast eyes as what he says sinks in. "Oh, that is a piece of bad luck," says Caesar, and there's a real edge of pain in his voice. The crowd is murmuring in agreement, a few have even given agonized cries.

"It's not good," agrees Kolton. "And—Lilly, shut up. Don't tell me I'm being stupid because I'm not. Stop looking at me like that." I just relax into my chair and don't even look at him as they finish up their interview.

"Well, I don't think any of us can blame you, Lilly, but all of the older siblings here feel the same I'm sure." Caesar says and part of the crowd cheers. "Well, best of luck to you, Kolton, and I think I speak for all of Panem when I say our hearts go with yours."

The roar of the crowd is deafening. Kolton has absolutely wiped the rest of us off the map with his declaration of his love for his baby sister. When the audience finally settles down, he chokes out a quiet "Thank you" and returns to his seat. We stand for the anthem I have to remove my sunglasses out of the required respect and cannot avoid seeing that every screen is once again dominated by a shot of Kolton and me, the brother and sister duo who will lose one soon enough.

After the anthem, the tributes file back into the Training Center lobby and onto the elevators. I make sure to veer into a car that does not contain Kolton. The crowd slows our entourages of stylists and mentors and chaperones, so we have only each other for company. No one speaks. My elevator stops twice to deposit the other four tributes in the lift before I am alone. Then the doors open on the twelfth floor. Kolton has only just stepped from his car when I step up next to him "Why would you say that, Kolt?" I question him in true little sister fashion. "Come on, Kolt, please tell me." I beg.

"No, Lilly. You know why I can't let you sacrifice yourself for me. You have big dreams and you will win the games and fulfill those dreams. I also have other reasons but I'm not ready to talk about those. I'll tell you when I'm ready."

"But—"

Hermes comes over and puts his arm around me. "He's right, Lilly. Don't ask."

I shove Haymitch off of me. "Whatever. I'm going to bed." I go into my room just to avoid them. I press a button which gets an avox in my room and have him bring in some food for me. I eat quickly and when he takes the dishes out I do some exercise to calm my nerves.

"I have nothing to be nervous about." I tell myself. "I'm just going to go to sleep tonight and when I wake up in the morning I'm going to go into an enclosed arena with 25 other children and we're going to fight to the death. No nerves needed. I've got this. I've trained for this." With a sigh I quit exercising and I go take a shower before pulling pajamas on and going to bed.

Tomorrow at dawn, we will be roused and prepared for the arena. The actual Games don't start until ten because so many of the Capitol residents rise late. But Kolton and I must make an early start. There is no telling how far we will travel to the arena that has been prepared for this year's Games.

Hermes comes to me before dawn, gives me a simple outfit to wear, and guides me to the roof. My final dressing and preparations will be alone in the catacombs under the arena itself. A hovercraft appears out of thin air and lands on the roof. I get on and strap myself in tightly then I allow a capitol woman inject my tracker into my arm. I'm waiting a while as the other tributes come on one at a time, each one getting a tracker once they're in their seats.

Apparently the tributes are normally taken in separate hovorcrafts but in order to save time we are all in one craft. Carts with food are brought in but the careers and I are the only ones who seem to be able to eat. Everyone else looks terrified and sleep deprived. Even the careers seem to not have slept. I'm completely rested though. So maybe I was able to convince my brain that I wasn't doing anything important enough to stay awake thinking about it.

After filling up completely on all the food I can handle and making sure to drink plenty of fluids I watch out the window at the scene below. 69 other arenas can be seen below and with everyone I see I remember important details about each one. Who won that one, how they one, what kind of trouble they faced and more.

The ride lasts about half an hour before the windows black out, suggesting that we're nearing the arena. The hovercraft lands and we go down into a tube underground, into the catacombs that lie beneath the arena. We follow instructions to our destination, a chamber for my preparation. In the Capitol, they call it the Launch Room. In the Districts, it's referred to as the Stockyard. The place animals go before slaughter.

Everything is brand-new, I will be the first and only tribute to use this Launch Room. The arenas are historic sites, preserved after the Games. Popular destinations for Capitol residents to visit, to vacation. Go for a month, re-watch the Games, tour the catacombs, and visit the sites where the deaths took place. You can even take part in reenactments.

I am silent as I shower and clean my teeth. Hermes does my hair in simple Ponytail with my bangs hanging above my eyes. Then the clothes arrive, the same for every tribute. Hermes has had no say in my outfit, does not even know what will be in the package, but he helps me dress in the undergarments, simple black jeans pants, Dark green t-shirt, sturdy black belt, and thin, hooded black jacket that falls to my thighs. "The material in the jacket's designed to reflect body heat. Expect some cool nights," he says.

The boots, worn over thick cotton boot socks, are better than I could have hoped for. Soft leather not unlike my ones at home. These have a narrow flexible rubber sole with treads though. Good for running.

I think I'm finished when Hermes pulls my Tenugui from his pocket. I had completely forgotten about it.

"They weren't going to clear it because of how long it was so I folded it like you do and I stitched it so you could have it," he says. "It's your District token, right?" I nod and he ties it on around my head. "There you are, all set. Move around. Make sure everything feels comfortable." I walk, run in a circle, and swing my arms about. "Yes, it's fine. Fits perfectly." He pulls the ponytail out letting the Tenugui hold my hair out of my eyes.

"Then there's nothing to do but wait for the call," says Hermes. "Unless you think you could eat any more?"

I turn down food but accept a glass of water that I take tiny sips of as we wait on a couch. I don't want to chew on my nails or lips, so I find myself gnawing on the inside of my cheek. It still hasn't fully healed from a few days ago. Soon the taste of blood fills my mouth.

Nervousness seeps into terror as I anticipate what is to come. I could be dead, flat-out dead, in an hour. Not even. My fingers obsessively trace the hard little lump on my forearm where the woman injected the tracking device. I press on it, even though it hurts, I press on it so hard a small bruise begins to form.

"Do you want to talk, Lilly?" Hermes asks.

I shake my head but after a moment hold out my hand to him. Hermes encloses it in both of his. And this is how we sit until a pleasant female voice announces it's time to prepare for launch.

Still clenching one of Hermes's hands, I walk over and stand on the circular metal plate. "Remember. Run, find water. The rest will follow," he says. I nod.

He leans down and kisses me on the forehead. "Good luck, Fire Weilder." And then a glass cylinder is lowering around me, breaking our handhold, cutting him off from me. He taps his fingers under his chin. Head high.

I lift my chin and stand as straight as I can. The cylinder begins to rise. For maybe fifteen seconds, I'm in darkness and then I can feel the metal plate pushing me out of the cylinder, into the open air. For a moment, my eyes are dazzled by the bright sunlight and I'm conscious only of a strong wind with the hopeful smell of pine trees.

Then I hear the legendary announcer, Claudius Templesmith, as his voice booms all around me.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-second Hunger Games begin!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Sixty seconds. That's how long we're required to stand on our metal circles before the sound of a gong releases us. Step off before the minute is up, and land mines blow your legs off. Sixty seconds to take in the ring of tributes all equidistant from the Cornucopia, a giant golden horn shaped like a cone with a curved tail, the mouth of which is at least twenty feet high, spilling over with the things that will give us life here in the arena. Food, containers of water, weapons, medicine, garments, fire starters.

Strewn around the Cornucopia are other supplies, their value decreasing the farther they are from the horn. I see a loaf of bread five feet in front of me. Useful I suppose. But what I really want is there in the mouth of the cornucopia, I can see a pair of twin Katana swords like the ones I've trained with in district 12 since I was seven.

We're on a flat, open stretch of ground. A plain of hard-packed dirt covered in snow. Behind the tributes across from me, we are surrounded by rundown buildings that give off the same strict vibe I got from our brief stop in District 2 but the same grandness of the Capitol. We were in what's left of District 14 which was a project that the Capitol thought of before abandoning it after what happened in District 13. We are in a large area which was going to be a place for kids to play and to have picnics like I've heard the capitol people do. I see some buildings that would be good to camp out in where we could see the Cornucopia and anyone by it "Just clear out, put as much distance as you can between yourselves and the others, and find a source of water."

But it's tempting, so tempting, when I see the bounty waiting there before me. And I know that if I don't get it, someone else will. That the Career Tributes who survive the bloodbath will divide up most of these life-sustaining spoils.

I stare at the twin Katanas that wait for me and the longer I gaze at them the more I realize they are the _exact_ swords I had trained with in District 12. Unlike the other capitol weapons these swords have a red strip around the base of the handle near the blade. _That's mine,_ I think. _Those are my swords!_ It's true. I put the strips of red there so I knew which ones were mine in case someone tried to grab them.

I'm fast. I can sprint faster and further than any of the girls in our school. But this forty-yard length, this is nothing compared to the running I do in the forest. I know I can get it, I know I can reach it first, but then the question is how quickly can I get out of there? By the time I've scrambled up the packs and grabbed the weapons, others will have reached the horn, and one or two I might be able to pick off, but say there's a dozen, at that close range, they could take me down with the spears and the clubs. Or their own powerful fists. _Unless_. Unless I accept the Careers alliance that is open until the end of the bloodbath.

Still, I won't be the only target. I'm betting many of the other tributes would pass up a smaller girl, even one who scored an eleven in training, to take out their more fierce adversaries.

Haymitch has never seen me run. Maybe if he had he'd tell me to go for it. Get the weapon. Since that's the very weapon that might be my salvation. And I only see one bow in that whole pile. I know the minute must be almost up and will have to decide what my strategy will be and I find myself positioning my feet to run, not away into the stir rounding forests but toward the pile, toward the bow. When suddenly I notice Kolton, he's about five tributes to my right, quite a fair distance, still I can tell he's looking at me and I think he might be shaking his head. I ignore him.

 _3, 2, 1,_ I take off starting the instant I saw the zero flash on the countdown screen running as fast as I can. I make it to the Cornucopia first. I grab the first knife I came across and I throw it at the closest tribute other than the careers. I take out a tribute who was going to tackle Shimmer then I quickly strap the swords to my back. I draw both swords and get a feel for them then I grin manically and wait for the other careers to get their weapons before we take out anyone who dared to try getting better supplies. Kolton is about to have a knife driven into his back by the girl from 6. I run over and slash through her with both of my swords, cutting her into three pieces.

"Woah!" I exclaim in shock then I hold the blades up with a crazy grin. "They sharpened them after they took them from 12! Cool." I grin then I look at my brother. He looks down at her then at me. "Wanna play, Brother?" I ask excitedly while twirling the swords and going into fighting position.

"Lilly!" he exclaims then points behind me. "Bear!" I turn to look and he pushes me to the ground before taking the knife and small pack from the girl and running off. "Made ya' look!"

I sigh and grab my hands in my face. "I really just fell that." I sigh then laugh. "And people wonder why the 12 year olds are almost always the first to die." I grab my blood covered swords and go back to the pack. "So allies?"

"You sliced that girl like sushi!" Shimmer exclaims in horror!

"Well I'm not cannibal so I' m not eating her." I shrug. "We're in the hunger games. I do what I need to survive."

"I think we should kill her before she kills us." The girl from 4, Helen Troy, says while getting ready to kill me with her spear.

"If you come at me, you will lose your little pitchfork and your head before you could say go fish." I drawl boredly while inspecting the blood on my blades. I cut some fabric off the shirt of a nearby body and I use it to clean the blood off the blades. I put one sword away but keep one out just in case.

I turn to Ryker and offer him my hand. "I accept your offer of alliance."

All the general fear I've been feeling condenses into hardly anything once he shakes my hand. Adrenaline shoots through me when I hear a twig snap I turn quickly stopping with my sword at the neck of the approaching person only to see Domitia holding a vest of throwing knives out to me. "I thought you could use some spare weapons for better range. You might want to look around for anything else you want."

I pull my swords off and accept the vest. "We need some better camouflage. Staying at the Cornucopia would be obvious. We should use it to draw others out. We can move anything worth keeping into the justice building right over there than leave the rest out as a trap. Most of them aren't going to be in groups so it would be easy to surround them."

Ryker looks at me with an amused smirk "Who put you in charge?"

I smirk back and say "Well, do you have a better plan? Do you want us to stay down here where we could get slaughtered in our sleep? I for one plan of finding a nice high place that is hard to get to and after I've got my hideout all taken care of I need to find water. You can join me if you want a better chance of living." I gather a sleeping bag and a few extra blankets along with some food and a pack and began heading for the justice building.

"Wait just a second!" I turn to him with my eyebrows raised. "We have a better view from that apartment building. The trees are shorter and the building is taller."

"Okay. Let's go than." Before leaving I grab two axes to hook in my belt then I grab the silver bow with a full quiver of arrows. We spend the rest of the afternoon moving our supplies up to the huge building. Once up high in the building I sit by the window keeping an eye one the few supplies we had left down there hoping Kolton got something to help him survive. As I watch I go through my pack making I have all the things I need; a sleeping bag, an emergency tent, one extra fleece blanket, a ton of extra food, some spare weapons, and a lot of rope.

"You're not planning on killing us and running tonight are you?" Ryker eyes my bag wearily.

"No, I want to be prepared. This building is rather old and unkempt. Better have and not need rather than need and not have. Speaking of which, we need to find some water. By the way, all of you welcome to District 14."

"This is District 14?"

"Judging from the large banners on the justice building with the number 14 on it I'm assuming so. From what I'm told it's construction was based off of District 2 so Ryker, Damitia, where would we go if we really need water?"

"District 2 has an emergency water supply plant on the edge of town but it would take all day to get there and then make it back."

"Well water and food are top priority. Simmer, can you pack all the bottles in a pair of backpacks please? I'll take Domitia with me and we'll fill all of the bottles we have. Shine, please keep an eye on the cornucopia while I'm gone."

Once Domitia and I have the packs full of empty water bottles with water skins hanging all over them we pack some food than head down the lobby followed by Ryker, Helen and Dylan who were moving all of our supplies into an empty supplies closet. They are arguing over who would carry the large box of food. "Guys, there's another one over there." I point to one the same exact size not too far from them. Domitia and I share amused looks before heading out.

"So are there any maps or things like that?"

"In District 2 we have maps in these cases that tell you where everything is. Look there's one right there." I walk over and inspect the map in the glass case.

"That arrow there tells you where you are. It's a sticker on the glass."

"Yeah so—" I cut her off by drawing one of the two throwing axes out of my belt and shattering the glass with the handle. I put the Axe away and pull the map out.

"Now we have directions. Let's get out of here before we get jumped." We walk through the city making sure to check everywhere for hiding tributes waiting to attack. The girl from 7 jumps out with a dart gun but She barely gets it up before finds an axe in her head. The cannon blasts signaling another tribute dead. I go get my axe then we continue

We finally get to the water supply but I have Domitia wait. I pull out my binoculars and look closer. "We've got three mutts maybe more, waiting of us. Looks like ape type creatures so they might have more hiding in the trees and buildings. What do we do?"

"We have to get that water."

"Right. I'm on it. Take this." I give Domitia the bag. "I'll distract them you get as many of the bottles filled as you can." I take one small water bottle and go into the clearing with the two large water tanks. I see the mutts turn to me and drop the water bottle in pretend shock before turning and running as fast as I can. I see the guy from 7 standing by the body of the girl I shot. He raises he weapon but I ignore him as I propel myself forward.

When I get closer the guy sees the mutts and turns to run as well. Fear must be a good motivation to run the fastest you've ever have because the boy is doing really well at almost keeping up with me. With the hope that it would get them to be called back I pull out a knife and chuck it over my shoulder and here it hit its mark. There's a *thunk* then the cannon blasts and the running behind me stops. I drop to the ground and roll until I'm looking at the bottom of the bench that was next to me.

I look down to see a few mutts sink their teeth into the dead bodies of the District 7 tributes before running into a tunnel that opened up from out of nowhere. Once I see the last one disappear I come out of my hiding spot and go to get my knife. I also take the guy's small amount of food. I walk back to Domitia chewing on some dried fruit and some jerky. "I got the guy from 7 and apparently the Mutts just needed something to sink their teeth in. got some food from the guy."

"Good. Now that they're gone you can help me fill these."

"Right'O" I give her a piece of jerky before putting the bag in my pocket and taking my bag back. I pick up the water bottle that I dropped than go over to the second tank and start filling the bottles and water skins. Once both backpacks are filled with full water containers we lift the hundred pounds of water onto our backs and begin the journey back to our hideout.

We manage to get back to our building without much trouble other than having to carry over a hundred pounds of water on our backs. We stop at the bottom of the stairs. "I don't want to carry these all the way up there. Put them over here and wait for me." I lean my pack against the wall. We each down a small bottle of water than I run up the stairs to our hide out.

"You're back! Where's Domitia and the water?"

"I'm getting them now just hold your horses." I grab the rope from my pack and run back out to the stairs. I tie off one end and drop the other end down then run back down to Domitia. "Go to where the rope is tied off and wait for me so we can pull it up." She head up the stairs and I tie both bags to the strong rope before going up the stairs as well. I untie the rope from the railing and Domitia and I start to heave the bags up to us. Once the bags are high enough up I call "Hey boys, a little help getting these bags would be nice!" Shine, Ryker and Dylane come out and help us get the bags safely over the rail and into our room. Now we wait.

Later that day as the sun starts to set we hear the cannon sound six times signaling the six deaths that happened at the blood bath. Adding the deaths of the District 7 tributes to that count there is a total of eight dead in all. Sixteen left to play. Fifteen left to die. It was a rather uneventful blood bath this year only because there were a lot of fast runners this year. I wonder about Kolton. I'm also gonna have to find him and keep an eye on for him. Has he lasted through the day? I'll know in a few hours. When they project the dead's images into the sky for the rest of us to see.

We eat then the boys go to the room next door to sleep. I decide to keep watch while the others sleep. Or rather while the others try to sleep except for Shimmer. I glance to the other girls only to see Shimmer staring back at me. It will take a while for her to trust me enough to sleep while I'm on watch… unless I kill her before she has a chance to ruin my plan. I pull the map out of my jacket pocket along with the remaining jerky from the boy from seven. I take one of the two pieces and toss the package to Shimmer without looking up from my map. Turn back to my pack ignoring her glare and I go through what all is in there. It's a decent sized grey bag in which I can fit what I need.

I make a mental note to check the peacekeeper Barracks for any gear I could use. The clothes I have are still to heavy and not as easy to move in as the peacekeeper uniforms are plus the white would blend in with the snow which was once again falling. "What are you looking for?"

"Resources that will be to my advantage. If we get separated we will need to have places we could meet at. I think our main rendezvous point should be the Cornucopia but we still need good spots around the arena to rest just in case." I find something to draw with and start marking up the map.

"Well I don't think that they would use the whole District as the arena."

"Of course not. District 14 was going to be almost as big as the capitol. They planned on using it to finally start populating more but after the rebellion and what happened to District 13 the Capitol they only got half of the scheduled buildings built. My math isn't that great so I'm gonna just assume that we are in about one quarter of the District. When we went to get the water I saw something in the tree line that leads me to believe that the barrier was here." I use the piece of black chalk to point out a spot by the two large water tanks. I use a small knife to make a circle thank I make the circle darker than show it to Shimmer. "About like this I believe."

"Cool." I pull the map back and I fold it and put it in my jacket before turning to the window in time to see the girl from 8 running to the cornucopia. She never gets to where she was going because she found herself with an arrow in her head. The cannon sounds and the boys come running in with their weapons raised up to attack and Domitia raises her axe "Are you mad? What are you doing?"

"We're all mad here." I say calmly before laughing at their expressions "Relax I was just taking out the girl from 8 heading for the cornucopia."

"Oh, okay than. As you were." I snicker and trade off with Domitia so I could sleep. The next morning I'm the first one up and I look up to see Shimmer on watch. "Good morning. Do you want an hour or so of sleep? I'm even going to leave my weapons here except for my bow and one arrow." _And three knives just in case._

"Okay." She says as I pull most of my weapons off and leave them on my pile of blankets. She is so tired that she falls asleep as soon as her head touches the blanket she's using as a pillow.

About two hours later the sun starts to come up so I wake Domitia who wakes the others so we can all eat. As we finish our decent breakfast Ryker assigns us to jobs for the day. "Shimmer will be my hunting partner. Shine and Domitia will be the other team. Lilly you stay here and kill anyone heading to the cornucopia or anyone who comes up here that isn't us. Let's split up take some food for later."

Once they are gone I take a backpack of food, water and an extra thermal blanket down to a lower window and toss it into a tree near the one I see Kolton hiding in. before going back up and devising my plan while watching the cornucopia. I'll keep getting supplies to my brother, and keep doing what it takes to get rid of his competition. Slowly I'll trick my current allies into trusting me while I slowly turn them against each other. Shimmer and Shine will have to be the first to go because I still need Ryker and Domitia to get rid of the other tributes. Speaking of which. I stand up in my window and draw an arrow waiting until my target is in range than I fire watching as Bara Cuda from District 9 falls to my arrow than I hear the cannon go off. Minutes later another cannon goes off. Only 14 more left alive.

Finally the careers come back. "Who did you find?"

"The guy from 8. Do you know who the other person was?"

"It was the guy, Bara, from 9. I got him going for the cornucopia. It's just us and eight others." _Including Kolton_ I add in my head.

"Well it's been a slow day but we did get two more so I think we can call it a day. Let's eat something." We all eat something and I go back to the window and stare outside with a sigh. It's snowing again adding to the already 8 inch layer. "I need to go check something out. I wanted to see something and I can't stay inside all day."

"Don't be too long and if you hear the cannon come right back so we can know that it wasn't you."

"Yes mother." I say sarcastically. Before putting my weapons and pack in place. I also make sure to grab an extra water skin. I walk down the many stairs and out into the freezing cold. I head to the Peacekeeper barracks not far from the justice building but I know that the door isn't visible to whoever is watching in the window back at our hiding spot.

The Barracks are connected to a private training facility for new peacekeepers. In there they have specific uniforms for training. I go to the training facility and look in the armory and find the best thing I could have found. Among the few white training uniforms there is a single set of official peacekeeper armor died black to represent the opposing side when doing battle training. I change into the uniform and slide my clothes on over it and I was now safe from the cold as these suits protected against all weather. I put the helmet in my pack and look around for any abandoned weapons but I don't see any. I grab my pack and I head back to the apartment building.

"Did you find anything?"

"I was looking for any prints but the snow picked up and covered everything. Luckily I didn't go far so I could still see the building enough to find my way back. I think the gamemakers are trying to freeze us to death." As if on cue the cannon sounds signaling another death.

"I think they just did." We all got really quiet than we decide to turn in for the night. I don't feel tired so I take the first watch only using the blanket to hide my peacekeeper uniform from my allies. I sit there with a blanket wrapped around me and my bow in my lap wondering once again about the girl on the platform in District 2.

I quietly say "If you aren't going to sleep you are more than welcome to join me."

I hear movement and Shimmer comes out of her sleeping bag and grabs her short sword and a fleece blanket. "What are you doing?" she asks

"I was thinking." I cross my legs and lean against the wall behind me. "Have a seat. Don't worry, I don't bite… Unless you ask."

"I'm not into girls like that."

"Like what?"

"I… I'm straight."

"And you thing I'm gay?"

"Or bi"

"Naw, I was just teasing you. I'm waiting for the day when someone reply with something funny. We would be a really interesting pair to watch."

"Don't you have a boyfriend?"

"No. I don't really like the whole dating thing. Why waste my time with dating when I can spend it making peoples' lives better. I spend my time helping the people of 12. Whether it's supplying food or helping fix a roof. We gotta take care of each other because nobody else will." Just than the national anthem plays and we see everyone who died today. That leaves Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, girl from 9, boy from 10, and Me and Kolton all alive… for now.

Shimmer pulls out a knife and starts carving one of the smaller branches as well and starts carving. "Maybe if by some miracle you win you should go home and try to date someone. I think _some_ guys might have eyes and from one straight girl to another I can honestly say you are really pretty… you know for a District 12 kid."

"Does this mean you trust me?" I smile and chuckle as her eyes narrow and she shakes her head. "Honestly I don't see a reason to think about it now because I'm not going to live. I don't think I even want to live." I feel a pang in my heart that was not my own feeling. "I only live because I know there is someone out there that will suffer with my loss. And I am not talking about my parents."

"Well you're the one to talk. You don't have a soul brand and your soulmate didn't come in with you." I give her an odd look. "Not my brother you weirdo." She sighs and looks out at the forest. "The boy from 10. His name is Fort, Fort Nox. I don't think he knows but I do know he is alive… for now. I can't help but feel… like I would die just to send him home and I will die if he dies. My mark fully appeared when I first saw him so I know its him." I subconsciously pull my sleeve up and look at my soul brand and I think of the girl from 2 that I saw on the platform.

 _What did they call her? Stone?_ I gasp quietly as something about the brand changes _Her last name is Stone!_ I must have said it out loud because Shimmer looks up at me curiously.

"Whose last name is Stone?"

"I—um—don't worry about it. It's not important at this time—"

"What's wrong 12?" Domitia says as she crawls over bundled in a blanket. "Don't want us to find out whose name is tattooed on your arm?" She pulls my arm out and pulls up my sleeve. "I guess you do have a brand after all. And your soulmate is from District 2." I pull my arm out of her hand then cross my arms across my chest.

I glance around then look at her and hesitantly ask. "How do you know that my soulmate is in District 2?"

"Well Stone is not a name you typically find in any District but District 2. I know of two people with the Last name Stone whose first name starts with a C. Cato and Clove." She smirks at me, probably because my cheeks turn pink when Clove is mentioned.

I here Domitia and Shimmer giggle "either way, You've got it bad for my cousin, 12, and not the one most people look at." _Cousin?_

"I need to get some air. I'll be right back." I take my bow and walk out. Once outside I go to the thin line of trees that separate our building from the park with the cornucopia in it and I climb one. The trees in which I last saw Kolton. "Kolt? Kolt, I need to talk to you." Nothing happens. I look over to the cornucopia then—


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"This is not a bad place to die." I jump and turn to see Kolton laying above me hidden from view of the careers. "I wish life was always this peaceful."

"Kolton." I breath. "You startled me. What are you still here for when you could be inside one of the buildings?"

"Wondering what you are doing with the careers. I swear you talk to them as if you are one."

"Wha—how—"

"One of the things I pick up from being your brother. When you want to eavesdrop its best to climb high up like in a tree… Am I right?"

I'm relieved Kolton's alive but the dread that we may come face-to-face at any moment in this arena like right now made me angry and scared "You need to leave before they see you. I am going to suggest we go find some other tributes. When we get back and you are still here I won't be able to stop them from going to kill you and my plan will be ruined."

"Your plan?"

"I am keeping them away from you, dummy, when we leave you will too. They will have one of us stay and watch our supplies. Avoid being spotted." I then jump to the ground and luckily land on my feet without injuring myself. Slowly I walk back to the careers who came out to see what I was doing. I get half way to them when I am tackled from my left by Dylan. I'm flat on my back as he raises his trident to spear me. I pull the bowie knife from his belt and move my head to the left as his trident spears the ground where my head was.

I knock the three tipped spear from his hand and use all the strength in my legs to flip us so I'm holding him down. Sadly though a twelve year old holding down someone twice her size doesn't really work. He throws me off and dives for the trident as the careers come running over. I stand and throw his knife at his head. It hits but not before he throws the trident at my allies and I hear it hit and I feel a wave of loss and pain come from my connection to Clove. "Domitia!"

"Domitia!" I hear myself scream and I run over. "Domitia! Domi, come on look at me! Don't die! Stay with me."

"It's… okay… I want… to go."

"But—"

"Please…S-sing—like Clove does."

"I remember tears streaming down your face  
When I said, "I'll never let you go"  
When all those shadows almost killed your light  
I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"  
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight

Just close your eyes  
The sun is going down  
You'll be alright  
No one can hurt you now  
Come morning light  
You and I'll be safe and sound"

By the time I finished the song her eyes are closed and the cannon goes off for a second time. fourteen gone, nine to go. "Damn it!" I growl as I wipe away tears that fell despite my wanting them not to. I stand up and walk back to Dylan.

"You killed him!" Helen shrieks.

"He attacked me." I snarl.

"He was testing you. I told him to and I was right. You will kill the minute you have a chan—aahhkkk" she clutch her throat as she falls to the ground. Blood gushes out of the large slash in her neck. I wipe her blood off the tip of my sword onto her shirt and I put my sword away.

I don't say anything as I look up at Ryker, Shimmer, and Shine. The four of us move the three bodies to the field by the cornucopia than we go in and stay there for the rest of the day and the day after with no deaths. I can't wait until I die.

"Lilly, I know that you're probably upset."

"Why would I be upset? She was your cousin not mine." I say to Ryker as I get ready to go out. If we don't get back to the killing than the game makers will get bored and send something horrible at us.

"Um… okay." I put my pack over my shoulders after I finish refilling my food and water supplies. I grab my bow and walk passed them. "Do you like the cold or something? You seem pretty eager to get out there."

"I don't want to make the gamemakers bored."

"Fire wielder my butt. You are cold as Ice. An Ice Queen." _Great a new nickname_. I sigh than take off in hopes of finding another tribute. I go pretty far from the building than loop around trying to find someone… anyone.

Snap! The sound of a breaking branch makes me jump and spin getting ready to shoot. "Sorry! Just me!" Kolton drops out of a tree.

"Kolton… are you okay? You look sick."

"Just a slight cold. I'll be fine."

"That's what you said when you got a bad case of pneumonia."

"I swear it's nothing to worry about. It's very common." I let it slide… for now.

"You wouldn't have happened to see any of the other tributes have you?"

"Yes. There is a group of three not far from here. Why?"

"I want to end this, Kolt. The sooner the better." I turn and head in the direction he indicated.

"Then why don't you kill me?" I ignore that comment and keep walking.

I catch up with the small alliance. The pair boy from 11, the boy from 6, and the boy from 10. Shimmer's soulmate, Fort. I stock them as if they are prey and wait for the right moment. When they all freeze each within perfect range I strike firing three arrows in a row and hitting all three targets perfectly in their heads. Boom, boom, and boom I hear as the cannon goes off.

I return to the tower and find Shine and Ryker trying to calm Shimmer enough for me to confirm who it was. "Shimmer… I'm sorry I have to tell you this… but Fort is dead."

She screams in agony and shoves the two boys away before diving for a knife and driving it into her own heart. Boom… another cannon.

The three of us stare at her body in silence before Ryker clears his throat. "I think it would be best if we split up. There's only 6 of us"

"Tomorrow, please. Just wait until tomorrow until we split." The boys agree with me. They didn't know that I was planning on splitting once they fell asleep. We all stay in the same room that night and watch together as the faces of the dead appear before Ryker goes to one side of the room and Shine goes to the other. I stay at the window to "Guard" once again. I wait until their breathing changes than I throw my bag on as quietly as possible and take the last of the two water skins leaving two decent sized water bottles. Going down to the supplies I take a small backpack full of food than I leave. My time as a career has come to an end. I pass by the tree that Kolton stayed in and I hear something that makes me jump my heart. "Lilly." Its Kolton.

"Kolt, what the hell!"

"Shhh, I need you to do something for me."

"Kolt, are you okay? You look really sick?"

"Lilly, I need you to kill me."

"What! Are You out of your mind!? No, now get out of here. Go to your hiding place." He swings out of the tree above my head and lands on the ground. With one last look at me he turns and Moves to a tree and settles in just out of site. I go back to my walking as I head straight for the one place where I knew I was safe for a night. The Peacekeeper Barracks. I'm not ready to kill the careers but I can keep them from finding Kolton… for now.

I stay in the barracks for two whole days before coming out and looking around. As I'm walking back to the barracks from looking for the tributes from District 3 a rock lands by my foot. I look around before grabbing the rock with a note on it. " _40ftn, 27fte. Why is a raven like a writing desk?_ This must be from Kolton. Then I hear something… a familiar scream… Kolton's Scream. I jump up and start running and as I get closer more screams of other people I love.

Kolton, Gale, Ash, Wry, Dusty, Magnus, Savera, Persei, Bernice, Colby, Alto, Garrick… My friends all screaming around me from all directions then there is one scream that sends chills throughout my entire body. A scream that turns my heart to ice. I haven't heard her scream but I know it's her "CLOVE!" then another scream. A different "JOHANNA!" I'm running around trying to find the source of the screaming and it takes me a while to realize its… up in the trees? I look up and I see them… mutts. The capitol Jabberjays up above me. I drop to the ground and cover my ears as they continue to scream. Screams of my loved ones echo in my head and I can't take it anymore. I start to cry.

When I finally get back to the barracks I feel empty, void of emotion even though I have tear streaks down my face. I am done with this game. I look through my weapons remaining weapons. I have one bent metal arrow, two throwing knives and my swords. I decide I don't need the bow anymore so I toss it aside along with the quiver. I hear the anthem play and I don't have to look. Nobody died tonight. But it's down to the last six which means only five more will die. I'll use the three bullets on my three enemies than kill myself with a knife so Kolton could win. _Kolton_!

I remember Kolton's note. _40ftn, 27fte. Why is a raven like a writing desk?_ 40ftn is 40 feet north. 27fte is 27 feet East. I decide to find him first thing in the morning. I pull out quite a bit of my food and have a proper sized meal.

The next morning I have another proper sized meal before going out to find my brother. I take of the clothes I was sent in here with so that I was only in the peacekeeper uniform. I put the helmet on and start by walking forty feet north and once I get there I'm at the tree he once stayed in. I turn and start to walk east but I walk right into a trap at 15 feet. The two from District 3 set a trip wire that alerted them of my presence and the come out and both shock me with homemade Tasers. The electricity must have short circuited the tracker in my arm because the cannon goes off and the two stop zapping me and turn their backs to me as I fall to my knees. Mistake one they didn't check to see if I was dead, mistake two they turned their backs on me.

With one swing of my sword the girls head goes flying and I bring one of the Tasers up to zap the hell out of the guy until he's unconscious and his tracker goes off. I check to see if he's alive then I take all of his things and pack them into the girl's bag with her things and I look around. Nobody heard the scuffle. Or if they did they backed off. The guy was about my size but he's still really heavy to lift. If I didn't have years of practicing lifting twice my weight I wouldn't be able to take my prisoner with me. I turn one of my swords to go on the same side as the other one then I lift him over my shoulder and carry him and the bag with all of their supplies along in the direction of my base.

I take him most of the way to my base then I stop and cover his head before continuing on to the Peacekeeper HQ. I tie him up and check once more to see if he has anything on him then I uncover his head and lock him in one of the few prison cells in the building.

I'm then alerted to a strange noise coming from our fried trackers. Those stop as soon as I notice then I hear buzzing come from some other places. I go to check it out and find out it was the cameras. "What is that noise?" I look over to see the boy from 3 looking at me.

"The cameras were buzzing." They had stopped now. "our trackers did too but they stopped." We stare at each other in silence then we both look up at a familiar sound.

"Sponsors?" He asks while looking at me in surprise.

"I got an eleven, remember?" I smirk. "I didn't get that by standing there looking cute. Now be a good nerd and sit there quietly." I laugh before going to get the parachute.

I come back in with it. "what is it?" he asks.

"Dunno." I shrug. I pull the long note out and read outloud. "There was a virus in the District 3 trackers. When you killed her and fried his tracker it activated. None of the cameras, arena microphones or the trackers work. Call the number dialed into the phone. –haymitch" I reach into the case and pull out a phone.

"Wait!" I look at the boy. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"I might be able to get something from them."

"You mean we?"

"No." I scoff in amusement "If we were Allies you would not be in a _prisoner_ cell. No shut up before I come in there and shut you up." And with that I call the number. "Hello?"

" _Lilly_."

"Hi Haymitch."

" _As I said in the note we have no idea wha's goin' on so the capitol doesn' want any of you to kill each other until they can see and hear you. The District 3 techs are going crazy trying to fix this. Beetee thinks he's found out who did it and now he's going to get him. Here, talk to Johanna. I'm too drunk for this_."

" _Hi, cutie_." I hear a familiar flirting voice " _So do you need anything_?"

"A camera to attach to me and I think my prisoner might be hungry but I'm not gonna give him my food _._ "

" _I'll take care of that. See you soon, love_."

"Bye, Jo." I sigh with amusement then hang up. I look at the now disabled phone then pocket it.

Moments later two more parachutes arrive. My camera is in the smaller one while the bigger one has a decent sized meal. I take the food to the cell and pass it to him bits at a time so he doesn't get sick. "When you're done eating I want you to take the tracker out of this camera so we can be incognito."

"Fine." He sighs.

I give him the rest of the food then go over to my things. I quickly pull the clothes I came in here off leaving me in the peacekeeper uniform. I put my weapons on then I grab the black helmet and turn to the boy. "alright, 3. Take the tracker out of this." I hand him the camera and some tools from his bag. "And if you try anything stupid you'll lose your head just like the other one did." He nods and gets to work removing the tracker. When he gets it he puts the camera back together and hands me it. I take the tools and the removed tracker as well.

"Now what?"

"Now you're going to hack into the server and reactivate this phone." I say while handing him the phone. "Then you're going to connect this camera to the broadcast."

"Will you let me out of here?"

"No."

"Then no."

"Then I'll torture you until you do."

"You can't—"

"I can't kill you." I point out. "They never said anything about torture."

"Fine." I hand him the gadgets and let him work and I watch him closely. "Why do you want this done anyway?"

"Because, I want the Hunger games to end." I say. "And as long as they can't see us then we're stuck in here unable to continue with the games. I'm not going to be stuck here for a month while they try to fix it."

"Makes sense." He realizes then he starts working faster. "Done." He says after a moment of working on the camera. "Here. It'll come on when you push that button."

"Alright." I say and set it aside. I wait until he finishes with the phone then I go find some cuffs and a chain. I quickly go through the packs and take anything I want from his pack then I put it on him and cuff his hands in front of him. I clip a chain to the cuffs so I can lead him then I pick up the camera and attach it to him before turning it on. I then call the number back. "Hello?"

"Lilly!"

"Hi, Johanna." I smile. "Is the camera working? Is it streaming?"

"Yes. I'm here with Caesar. We were doing an interview when it came on. All of Panem are watching." There's a massive cheer in the backround.

"Good to know." Then to my prisoner I say "Congradulations, 3, you're our new camera boy."

"My name is Cell U'Lar!"

"Yeah because my facial expression totally says I give a damn." I drawl with a smirk. "Now be a good camera boy and hold still I need to ask Johanna something important."

" _What, Lil?_ " Jo asks with amusement.

"Does my breath stink?" I ask then I breathe on the camera.

"You can damage the lens doing that." Camera boy snaps at me.

"I can damage your head by hitting it hard repeatedly with my shoe!" I snap back. He's silent. "That's what I thought. Stupid camera boy. Camera stands don't talk!" I shout the last sentence with wild eyes right in his face.

"They don't walk either."

"Well you're a special Camera stand." I coo while patting him on the head before turning back to my phone conversation. "Johanna, my camera stand needs wheels. Can you send me some roller skates… or a baby stroller. Oh, how about one of those big wheeled wagon thingies! I can strap it to his back and roll him down the hill! The camera will be facing the sky a lot though and if he crashes into a wall you all will have to hear his agonized screams of pain while I figure out which way I'm supposed to turn his leg and I'll probably end up breaking his ankle as well and—never mind I'm realizing that's a bad idea."

" _You need to hang up now._ " Jo laughs.

"Bye, sexy." I smile and hang up. I look at Cell and grin. "So, Camera boy, you ready? Because we're going hunting."

I grab the chain to lead him and I pull him along for a while. We wonder aimlessly around the large arena until I stop. "I need both of my hands to be on the defense." I sigh.

"So get rid of the chain."

"And let you run off? No." I say. I then loop the chain in my belt and I use a pair of metal clips to clip the chain in a loop. "There. Come, puppy." I then begin walking and he fallows along.

I come into a small opening in the buildings and I see Kolton slumped over and over turned bench barfing up blood. "Kolton! What happened?"

"Bone poisoning… like Wry… Wasn't going to last… Lilly, come here." I go over and pull his head into my lap after I sit. "Lilly, I need… you to… kill me… stop my pain."

"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" I half sob.

"Because both…produce… boring… unappealing notes. Lils—"

"I can't do it, Kolt. I can't."

"Please… help me… please."

I hesitate as I look into his eyes and see excruciating pain. "I... I can… I can help you. I love you, Kolt. I'll go kill Shine than I can shoot myself and you will win."

"No… I'll die… soon… please!"

"I…" I sob "I'm sorry."

"Lilly… turn… off your… emotions… cold as Ice."

"I love you."

"Love… you too, lil… tell Katniss… I love… her." I let out a small laugh as I silently pull out Kolton's knife.

"How did I know it was Katniss?" he doesn't reply.

I close my eyes and imagine it's a dying deer laying in my lap and am about to stab when "Lils… I want… to see your eyes." I slowly open my eyes and look down into his. "Good-bye." He says and I stab the knife into his heart.

I wait for the tears but they don't come. I'm tired of crying. I just want to go home. In fact Kolton wouldn't want me to cry… he would want me to win. Ryker and Shine will die tomorrow then I'll kill U'Lar.

I go back to the Apartments in which us careers where hiding. There was still a ton of food so I had Camera boy help me grab what I want then he helps me carry the crate to our base in the barracks. We eat some dinner in silence until we hear another cannon go off. I look up at the sky where the sound came from.

"One of the careers just died."

"Thanks captain obvious." I sigh half-heartedly.

"There's only three of us left."

"You keep talking and it'll be two."

"Why are you so violent?"

"Because my father is a violent alcoholic, I trained with peacekeepers, I'm angry at the world, my brother just died in my arms, and what else!? Oh, yeah! We're in the freakin' hunger games, stupid!"

"You still have things that will help you live happily."

"And I will live. You know you're going to die, right? As soon as it comes to the last battle I'm going to kill you then I'll kill the other one."

"Or you could let me go home." I sigh and set my food down. I cover it with my jacket and I go over to him. I take the camera and attach it to myself. "What are you doing?"

"I'm freeing you." I lead him outside with one sword in hand. He holds out his hands out for me to undue the cuffs and with one swift swipe I send his head flying off his shoulders. "There. I've freed you're head from your shoulders. Now I can eat in peace."

I finish my large dinner then sit by the window and watch for the faces in the sky. I'm laying on one of the beds with a perfect view out the window and hear the anthem play. In the sky I see three faces flash across the dark scenery. Ryker from 2, Cell from 3, and Kolton. It's just me and Shine. "Tomorrow I go home." I say to myself "Than everything changes… I hope it's for the better."

The next morning I wake up and get ready. Today is day I end this. I eat as much of the food as I can stomach and I pull my weapons on. I leave the supplies and go to find my last opponent. "There you are." I see him sitting at the mouth of the cornucopia all alone with no weapon in hand.

I go silently up behind him and draw both swords. "Hello, Lilly." He sighs with depression.

"It's going to happen, Shine."

"not without a fight." He jumps up and runs at me with a knife, I spin around and trip him with my leg then I kick the knife out of his hand. "It was going to happen sooner or later. What did you think? That they sent us in here to start a new District?" I stand up and pull my helmet off as he starts to move for the knife but freezes when I have both sword blades crossed ready to remove his head.

"So this is how it ends for me, huh? At least it's by someone we came to know as a friend. There is no need to hesitate. Please, let me be with my sister. Let's just end this." He doesn't even go for a weapon.

"I'm sorry, Shine." I say while trying to keep most emotions hidden. With one quick motion I remove his head.

The cannon sounds and the system must be up again because the speaker is working as Claudius Templesmith, the famous announcer, calls out. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the winner of the 72nd annual Hunger Games. The Ice Queen, Lilly Abernarthy District 12."

The hovercraft materializes overhead but instead of dropping down a ladder it lands and the door opens. I look down at Shine than I walk over to the peacekeepers. They remove my pack and leave it on the ground and then escort me onto the hovercraft and I take a seat. The peacekeepers come to check me for weapons so I quickly remove and turn in all of them. They take the weapons and supplies out but one of them hands me the helmet. "You would make a great peacekeeper." I give a small half-smile that disappears when they bring Shine's body on board.

"Did you get my brother?" the one who spoke to me nods. "Can I see him?"

"He will be sent home to be buried. You can see him then."

"But I—Actually I can deal with that as long I get another chance to see him."

I sit staring uncomprehendingly at the crystal glass in my hand. Warm, filled with fresh hot chocolate, a straw with a frilly white collar. How wrong it looks in my bloody, filthy hand with its dirt-caked nails and scars. My mouth waters at the smell, but I take slow sips so I can adjust to the richness of the capitols food and drinks.

When I've finished the cup I lay across the empty chairs and close my eyes. The next thing I know we've landed back on the roof of the Training Center I calmly stand up and walk off the craft and am met by Haymitch and Velvet standing with Effie. Waiting of me. They lead me to the room I used before and once there I see it is the same set up it was before. "We need to get you examined." I nod and go with them while my mind wanders to my memories of Kolton than a horrible thought comes. What if they keep him and use him as parts for their mutts! I start to panic at this thought so they stick me with a needle and everything is dark.

When I wake, I'm afraid to move at first. The entire ceiling glows with a soft yellow light allowing me to see that I'm in a room containing just my bed. No doors, no windows are visible. The air smells of something sharp and antiseptic. My right arm has several tubes that extend into the wall behind me. I'm naked, but the bedclothes arc soothing against my skin. I tentatively lift my left hand above the cover.

Not only has it been scrubbed clean, the nails are filed in perfect ovals, the scars I got are less prominent. I touch my cheek, my lips, and the puckered scar above my eyebrow. All my scars were gone, my callouses, my imperfection… they're all gone I slowly make it to a sitting up position. As I look around for a door a portion of the wall slides open and in steps an Avox girl carrying a tray. She sets the tray across my thighs then turns and leaves me to my own thoughts.

As the Avox leaves, the door closes noiselessly after her and I turn hungrily to the tray. It's not capitol food… Its food from the arena. With a small amount of capitol food and a glass of hot chocolate. _Why did they send me this food? It must me because it's what my stomach is used to._ I think grouchily. How long have they kept me unconscious? There's usually a lag of a few days between the end of the competition and the presentation of the victor so that they can put the starving, wounded, mess of a person back together again. Somewhere, Hermes will be creating my wardrobe for the public appearances. Haymitch and Effie will be arranging the banquet for my sponsors, reviewing the questions for our final interviews. Back home, District 12 is probably in chaos as they try and organize the homecoming celebration for me, given that the last one was twenty-one ago.

Home! Ash and the pack! And Padfoot! I cannot wait to see my Padfoot again. Soon I will be home!

I want to get out of this room. To see Hermes, to find out more about what's been going on. And why shouldn't I? I feel fine. But the capitol doesn't seem to think so because as soon as I finished eating They use the thing in my arm to send some sort of drug to sedate me.

Finally, the time arrives when I come to and there's nothing plugged into my right arm. The restraint around my middle has been removed and I am free to move about. I start to sit up but am arrested by the sight of my hands. The skin's perfection, smooth and glowing. Not only are the scars from the arena gone, but those accumulated over years of hunting have vanished without a trace.

My forehead feels like satin, and when I try to find the large scar I got from falling out a tree on my calf, there's nothing. I slip my legs out of bed, nervous about how they will bear my weight and find them strong and steady. Lying at the foot of the bed is an outfit that makes me flinch. It's was the peacekeeper uniform from the arena. Of course, this is what I will wear to greet my team because this is the last thing Panem saw me wear.

I'm dressed in less than a minute and fidgeting in front of the wall where I know there's a door even if I can't see it when suddenly it slides open. I step into a wide, deserted hall that appears to have no other doors on it. But it must. Now that I'm conscious and moving, I'm growing more and more anxious about everything that is about to follow. I look down the hall to my right and see nothing then I hear someone call my name. It's a voice that provokes first irritation and then eagerness. Effie.

I turn and see them all waiting in a big chamber at the end of the hall — Effie, Haymitch, Hermes and my mom! I can't help it as my face breaks into the biggest grin ever at them. And I force myself not to run. Half way there I can barely take it anymore and I run for them. I surprise even myself when I launch into Haymitch's arms first. When he whispers in my ear, "Nice job, sweetheart," it doesn't sound sarcastic. He sets me down then pulls my mom into our group hug. Effie's somewhat teary and keeps patting my hair and talking about how she told everyone we were pearls. Hermes just hugs me tight and doesn't say anything.

"Clove! Is she okay?" I blurt out. I feel a spark of love and a large amount of amusement.

"She's fine. Only they want to do your meeting live on air," says Haymitch.

"Oh. That's all," I say. The awful moment of thinking negative thoughts passes. "Wait, she's here in the Capitol!?"

"No. they will be recording your meeting in district 2 on your victory tour. Now go on with Hermes. He has to get you ready," says Haymitch.

It's a relief to be alone with Hermes, to feel his protective arm around my shoulders as he guides me away from the cameras, down a few passages and to an elevator that leads to the lobby of the Training Center. The hospital then is far underground, even beneath the gym where the tributes practiced tying knots and throwing spears. The windows of the lobby are darkened, and a handful of guards stand on duty. No one else is there to see us cross to the tribute elevator. Our footsteps echo in the emptiness. And when we ride up to the twelfth floor, the faces of all the tributes who will never return flash across my mind and there's a heavy, tight place in my chest.

When the elevator doors open, my prep team engulf me, talking so quickly and ecstatically I can't make out their words. The sentiment is clear though. They are truly thrilled to see me and I'm happy to see them, too, although not like I was to see Hermes. It's more in the way one might be glad to see an affectionate trio of pets at the end of a particularly difficult day.

They sweep me into the dining room and I get a real meal — roast beef and peas and soft rolls — although my portions are still being strictly controlled. Because when I ask for seconds, I'm only given a quarter of my first plate.

"No, no, no. They don't want it all coming back up on the stage," says the woman ( _I really got to learn their names_ ), but she secretly slips me an extra roll under the table to let me know she's on my side.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

We go back to my room and Hermes disappears for a while as the prep team gets me ready. When I look at my naked body in the mirror I see that I don't look too bad. I did have all the resources I needed in there with the careers so I didn't get too malnourished.

They take care of the shower settings for me, and they go to work on my hair, nails, and makeup when I'm done. They chatter so continuously that I barely have to reply, which is good, since I don't feel very talkative. It's funny, because even though they're rattling on about the Games, it's all about where they were or what they were doing or how they felt when a specific event occurred. "I was still in bed!" "I had just had my eyebrows dyed!" "I swear I nearly fainted!" Everything is about them, not the dying boys and girls in the arena.

We don't wallow around in the Games this way in District 12. We grit our teeth and watch because we must and try to get back to business as soon as possible when they're over. To keep from hating the prep team, I effectively tune out most of what they're saying.

Hermes comes in with what appears to be the usual punk look… until I realize every an unassuming Light blue dress across his arms.

"Have you given up the whole 'girl wielding fire' thing?" I ask.

"You tell me," he says, and slips it over my head. I look in the mirror and frown.

"I know," says Hermes before I can object. "But it's what Panem wants to see. The Ice Queen. Haymitch had a huge fight with them over it but they wouldn't budge. Wait, don't forget the shoes." Venia helps me into a pair of heels that make me an inch and a half taller and I turn to the mirror.

I am No longer the fire wielder, I am the Ice queen. Even the slight movement in the air sends a ripple up my body. It's amazing. By far one of my favorites because when I move the dress shines like ice as if the dress was made from Ice.

"What do you think?" asks Hermes.

"I think it's the best yet, although I do prefer the punk look I actually found a dress that I like," I say. When I manage to pull my eyes away from the flickering fabric, I'm in for something of a shock. My hair's loose, held back by a simple hairband with bright blue dyed ends. The makeup rounds and fills out the sharp angles of my face. A clear polish coats my nails. The sleeveless dress is gathered at my ribs, not my waist, largely eliminating any help the padding would have given my figure. The hem falls just below my knees. Without heels, you can see my true stature. I look, very simply, like a girl. They made me look like the 12 year old that I am. Innocent. Harmless. Yes, it is shocking that Hermes has pulled this off when you remember I've just won the Games.

This is a very calculated look. Nothing Hermes designs is arbitrary. I bite my lip trying to figure out his motivation. "I thought it'd be something more . . . sophisticated-looking," I say.

"I thought this would be better," he answers carefully.

We take the elevator to the level where we trained. It's customary for the victor and his or her support team to rise from beneath the stage. First the prep team, followed by the escort, the stylist, the mentor, and finally the victor. I find myself in a poorly lit area under the stage. A brand-new metal plate has been installed to transport me upward. You can still see small piles of sawdust, smell fresh paint. Hermes and the prep team peel off to change into their own costumes and take their positions, leaving me alone.

The rumbling of the crowd is loud, so I don't notice Haymitch until he touches my shoulder. I spring away, startled, still half in the arena, I guess.

"Easy, just me. Let's have a look at you," Haymitch says. I hold out my arms and turn once. "Good enough."

It's not much of a compliment. "But what?" I say.

Haymitch's eyes shift around my musty holding space, and he seems to make a decision. "But nothing. How about a hug for luck?"

Okay, that's an odd request from Haymitch but, after all, we are victors. Maybe a hug for luck is in order. He is also my father and we just lost Kolton. I wrap my arms around him and we stand there for a bit before pulling away.

"Better take our places," says Haymitch. He leads me to the metal circle. "This is your night, sweetheart. Enjoy it." He kisses me on the forehead and disappears into the gloom.

I tug on my skirt, willing it to be longer, wanting it to go to my ankles. Then I realize it's pointless. My whole body's shaking like a leaf. Hopefully, it will be put down to excitement. After all, it's my night.

The damp, moldy smell beneath the stage threatens to choke me. A cold, clammy sweat breaks out on my skin and I can't rid myself of the feeling that the boards above my head are about to collapse, to bury me alive under the rubble. When I left the arena, when the trumpets played, I was supposed to be safe. From then on. For the rest of my life. But if what Haymitch says is true, and he's got no reason to lie, I've never been in such a dangerous place in my life.

It's so much worse than being hunted in the arena. There, I could only die. End of story. But out here the pack, the people of District 12, everyone I care about back home could be punished if I make one wrong move.

These are questions to be unraveled back home, in the peace and quiet of the woods, when no one is watching. Not here with every eye upon me. But I won't have that luxury for who knows how long. And right now, the most dangerous part of the Hunger Games is about to begin.

The anthem booms in my ears, and then I hear Caesar Flickerman greeting the audience. He will want to help us. The crowd breaks into applause as the prep teams are presented. I imagine Flavius, Venia, and Octavia bouncing around and taking ridiculous, bobbing bows. It's a safe bet they're clueless. Then Effie's introduced. How long she's waited for this moment.

I hope she's able to enjoy it because as misguided as Effie can be, she has a very keen instinct about certain things and must at least suspect we need to be careful Hermes receives huge cheers, of course, they've been brilliant, had a dazzling debut. I now understand Hermes's choice of dress for me for tonight. I'll need to look as girlish and innocent as possible. Haymitch's appearance brings a round of stomping that goes on at least five minutes. Well, he's accomplished a first in twenty. He brought home a tribute from District 12. Because I can feel the plate lifting me.

Blinding lights. The deafening roar rattles the metal under my feet. I go over to greet Caesar actually gave him an almost happy smile as I say hello.

Caesar Flickerman makes a few jokes, and then it's time for the show. This will last exactly three hours and is required viewing for all of Panem. As the lights dim and the seal appears on the screen, I realize I'm unprepared for this. I do not want to watch my twenty-three fellow tributes die. I saw enough of them die the first time. My heart starts pounding and I have a strong impulse to run. How have the other victors faced this alone? During the highlights, they periodically show the winner's reaction up on a box in the corner of the screen. I think back to earlier years . . . some are triumphant, pumping their fists in the air, beating their chests. Most just seem stunned.

Condensing two weeks into three hours is quite a feat, especially when you consider how many cameras were going at once. Whoever puts together the highlights has to choose what sort of story to tell. This year, they tell a story of sacrifice. I know I won, but a disproportionate amount of time is spent on me, right from the beginning.

The first half hour or so focuses on the pre-arena events, the reaping, and the chariot ride through the Capitol, our training scores, and our interviews. There's this sort of upbeat soundtrack playing under it that makes it twice as awful because, of course, almost everyone on-screen is dead.

Once we're in the arena, there's detailed coverage of the bloodbath and then the filmmakers basically alternate between shots of tributes dying and shots of me and the Careers. I watch Domitia, Shimmer and Kolton die again and it's like being stabbed repeatedly in the heart. They play the part where I was electrocuted then I took the District 3 girl out and zapped the boy. That's when the cameras go blank and they begin to show the footage from my camera. I laugh at my slightly crazy antics and I shed a single tear when Kolton dies. The Lilly Cam, as they titled it, shows everything right up to the final fight with Shine where I become a Victor.

"Ladies and gentlemen, here is the winner of the 72nd annual Hunger Games; the Ice Queen herself, Lilly Abernarthy." Caesar's words ring in my mind on repeat.

The anthem's playing yet again and we rise as President Snow himself takes the stage followed by a little girl carrying a cushion that holds the gold victors crown. I look into his eyes and I see an underlying message… like he was trying to tell me something important.

Much bowing and cheering follows. I don't bother waving. In fact all I do is zone out when Caesar Flickerman finally bids the audience good night, reminding them to tune in tomorrow for the final interviews. As if they have a choice.

I am whisked to the president's mansion for the Victory Banquet, where we have very little time to eat as Capitol officials and particularly generous sponsors elbow one another out of the way as they try to get their picture with us. Face after beaming face flashes by, becoming increasingly intoxicated as the evening wears on. Occasionally, I catch a glimpse of Haymitch, which is reassuring, or President Snow, which is terrifying, but I quietly smile and thanking people who compliment me.

The one thing I never do is stop thinking about Clove. "Hello." I turn to see Finnick O'Dair from District 4 and Johanna Mason from District 7 looking standing there standing there. I don't feel like talking but I am glad to be near Johanna. I shift closer and allow my arm to press against hers.

"Hi." I say as I turn to watch the people dance.

"Lovely job in the arena. Really, I just _loved_ how you went along with their twisted game."

"Your sarcasm is refreshing compared to the usual bootlicking you do on camera, _Mr. Heartthrob of the capitol_ ," I say this calmly forcing myself not to scowl only because I'm on camera. "Besides I don't think I really had a choice in what happened so it doesn't matter anyway. I wasn't supposed to live."

"Yes, you were," Johanna says. "You are here because you are supposed to be here now quit being brainless and move on."

"Okay. I think I will move on… literally." I glare at her and walk away.

I barely move away when Johanna grabs my arm. "I realize that you lost your brother in there but you aren't the only one who lost family so quit acting like it."

"I _know_ how your brother and parents died, Mason, did you forget my parents are two of the victors who like you? I know you lost your family but you didn't shoot your sibling in the head so I don't see how you can get away with telling me to move on."

"You're right I don't. Let me make it up to you," and before I can protest she pulls me onto the dance floor and starts twirling me in time with the music.

"Johanna, I'm not a good dancer."

"You're doing just fine, brainless, now please be quiet and enjoy my amazing presence." She smirks. I give a small laugh as she spins me.

The sun is just peeking over the horizon when we straggle back to the twelfth floor of the Training Center. I think now I'll finally get a word alone with Haymitch.

"When can I go to District 2?" I ask.

"Plenty of time for talk when we get home," says Haymitch. "Go to bed, you're on air at two."

Despite Haymitch's running interference, I'm determined to find out when I can finally meet Clove. After I toss and turn for a few hours, I slip into the hall. I go up to the roof and sit up there by myself for a bit before Going back down to my room. I go back to bed for a while but I can't sleep so I thought I would go see Johanna but the door is locked. Damn Haymitch. I quickly get back in bed and pretend to sleep until Effie Trinket comes to alert me to the start of another "big, big, big day!"

I have about five minutes to eat a bowl of hot grain and stew before the prep team descends. All I have to say is, "The crowd loved you!" and it's unnecessary to speak for the next couple of hours. When Hermes comes in, he shoos them out and dresses me in Black leather pants, a KISS band t-shirt, black leather boots, and a leather jacket. I pull on a pair of black sunglasses and look at him. We make idle chitchat, but I'm afraid to ask him anything of real importance because I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched constantly.

The interview takes place right down the hall in the sitting room. A space has been cleared and two chairs and a table were placed in the center of the room. There are only a handful of cameras to record the event. No live audience at least.

Caesar Flickerman gives me a warm hug when I come in. "Congratulations, Lilly. How are you faring?"

"Fine. Nervous about the interview," I say.

"Really? You don't look nervous."

"Thank you."

"Don't be nervous. We're going to have a fabulous time," he says, giving my cheek a reassuring pat.

"I'm not good at talking about myself," I say.

"Nothing you say will be wrong," he says.

And I think, _Right that's why Johanna's family was murdered. Because she said something right. Give me a break._

I feel a sort of shiver run through me and there's no time to analyze why, because they're ready for me. I sit somewhat formally on the chair because I was uncomfortable, but Caesar says, "Oh, go ahead and relax. Act naturally. We are friends here," Friends… him using that word as if we agreed on the term makes me want to laugh. I lean back into the chair and sit as if talking to a friend back home.

Someone counts backward and just like that, we're being broadcast live to the entire country. Caesar Flickerman is wonderful, teasing, joking, getting choked up when the occasion presents itself. He already has a good funny line of questions that at points made me laugh or made me want to slap that stupid blue hair off his head. My answers are to the point with no sugar coating. Definitely going with the grungy ice queen.

Eventually though, Caesar begins to pose questions that insist on fuller answers. "Well, Lilly, we know, from our days as a career that you've never thought of being with anyone except your soulmates. One of whom you didn't know until their cousin said their name. What went through your mind when you realized that your soulmate was not in the arena with you?" Caesar says.

"Relief. If she was in there one of us wouldn't be here and you and I would not be talking right now." I say with a calm expression.

"She? So your soulmate is in fact Clove Stone!?"

Damn me and my brain. "Yes. As soon as I heard her name I felt as if I had a lot of weight lifted off my chest. As if I had been rather unbalanced and the mention of her name balanced me. I can't wait to meet her officially."

"I'm sure she would disagree with you on your previous statement about if she was in the arena with you. Tell us what was going through your mind when Domitia was killed by Dylan?" asks Caesar.

"Anger… no not just anger I was in a rage. That was Clove's cousin. I could feel Clove's loss and it pissed me off. It made it worse because despite only having one full conversation with her I considered her a friend which pissed me off even more." I scowl.

"Well, I know that after Fort from District 10 died we know that Shimmer killed herself. What affect did this have on her brother?" says Caesar.

"The same affect that Kolton's death affected me," I say. I know that if I close my eyes the memory will be right there as if it was happening right now.

"How touching. And How about when you realized Kolton couldn't go on?" urges Caesar.

"Kolton could have gone on if he wasn't so damn stubborn! The idiot could have won the Games even if I had to drag him everywhere and killed everyone else including myself but he insisted on dying on me that jerk." I growl and Caesar leans away when my anger shows up. I take a calming breath, "I'm sorry Caesar, talking about my brother is painful but I don't like to cry so I get angry instead," I say.

Behind a cameraman, I see Haymitch give a sort of huff with relief and I know my apology and explanation was good. Caesar pulls out a handkerchief and has to take a moment because he's so moved. He asks, "So now that you've won will you be sending in a request to transfer districts to District 2?"

I look up at him. "Not right away. As difficult as it is living with him I know that if my dad was alone then there is a chance of him dying from depression and I don't think I can lose another relative right now." I actually see a tear slide down my dad's face when he realizes I don't fully hate him.

For Caesar, this is a natural place to segue into the Jabberjays. "You were lucky not to have been injured or attacked too many times, but the screaming jabberjays was enough to drive anyone mad. How, when you heard the screams, did you know that one of them was Clove's screams?"

"Out of all the screams coming out of those abominations, hers and Johanna's were the ones that struck me with fear and pain the most. I felt that if it was real that I would kill myself just to be with them. I would die like Shimmer died. And as for keeping mostly out of harm's way, luck had nothing to do with it. I was with the careers, we had control of the cornucopia, I know how to survive with the cold weather, and we never had much need to leave the Cornucopia. Many of the tributes either died in the bloodbath or froze to death."

"So about your brother—"

"Honestly, Caesar, I can't talk about my brother right now. " I close my eyes and try to turn my face from the cameras.

"Okay," Caesar backs off with the painful questions "So when you came out of the arena who were you happiest to see?" he asks.

"Any person that I didn't have to kill. I'm even happy to see you, Caesar, although your hair is rather distracting. When I saw my escort, Effie I almost ran to tackle her because her hair was too bright." He laughs. Caesar signs off and it's over. Everyone's laughing and crying and hugging, but I'm still not sure until I reach Haymitch. "How did I do? I don't like interviews," I whisper.

"Perfect," he answers.

I go back to my room to collect a few things and find nothing there so I just go down to where they drive us through the streets in a car with blackened windows, and the train's waiting for us. We barely have time to say good-bye to Hermes and Portia, although we'll see them in a few months, when we tour the districts for a round of victory ceremonies. It's the Capitol's way of reminding people that the Hunger Games never really go away. I'll be given a lot of useless plaques, and everyone will have to pretend they love me.

The train begins moving and we're plunged into night until we clear the tunnel and I take my first free breath since the reaping. Effie is accompanying us, meaning me and the Mentors, as we head home. We eat an enormous dinner and settle into silence in front of the television to watch a replay of the interview. With the Capitol growing farther away every second, I begin to think of home. Of Padfoot. Of The wolf pack; Ash, Dusty, Colby, Alto, Garrick, Magnus, Savera, Persei, Bernice, and Wry. I excuse myself have some time alone. I'm exploring the train when I come across a cart filled with different things. There are Clothes, some wood carvings, some metal work, art and other things. I slowly walk through until I come get to the back. As I walked I saw each station has a victor's name. When I reach the back of the cart I am surprised to see a table with my name. On the table is an electric guitar and two books. One is a book that will teach me how to play and the other is a book to write music in.

"Volts made that for you when he found out from your dad that you love music. It's a prototype." I spin to find Johanna staring at me. "I made a few suggestions as to materials. He made one completely out of metal but it was way too heavy so I helped carve one from wood. When we could we went into the American video archives and looked up how guitar companies made them and did our best with what we had. We only used Mahogany but they used two or three different types of wood. We realized why after we lifted it up. That beast is heavy."

"Thank you. It's really nice."

When we stop at district 2 Jo and I were blocked from exiting the train by peacekeepers. Camera's see this and have a great time going crazy with their cameras as we struggle. I then see her standing held back by two people who look like her parents both of whom are in peacekeeper uniforms. I struggle even more to get to her. I punch one of them and start struggling even more "Clove! CLOVE! No, you stupid morons, Let me go. Let me go! CLOVE!" I see a doctor come up to each of us. Since she's held by her parents she's not struggling as much so it was easier to stick her with the needle that makes her lose consciousness which makes me struggle even more.

I kick one peacekeeper between the legs and punch another one in the stomach then dive over the wall of other peacekeepers. I duck and dive away from all the law enforcement. I have to see that she's okay. I almost get to her when Her parents put her in the arms of a boy that was with them whom I'm assuming is her big brother and steps between us. Clove's father grabs me around the waist and starts talking to me in a deep familiar voice "She'll be fine, we won't let her get hurt. You need to go home for now. We will see you in a few months." I struggle a little less but it's enough for them to stick the needle into my arm.

When I wake up Johanna is standing next to my bed. I look out the window and see a large banner that says District 5. I am now three whole districts away from Clove. I look up at Johanna and for no reason I burst into tears. I spend the rest of the day in my compartment with my guitar not talking to anyone except to say good-bye to Johanna and then my mother. I just strum the guitar and think of home.

Home. The idea of seeing my friends in a matter of hours makes my mood take a happy turn. Despite me missing the soulmate that I hardly know anything about I am happy. When we are near District 12 I go to join Haymitch and Effie in the main cart. I hate the fact that Kolton's not here because he always knew how to make me happy. He deserved to be here instead of me.

As we're pulling into District 12 Effie, Haymitch, and I all stand in silence. I try to tell myself that I did what it took to stay alive, to keep us both alive in the arena. That I can't blame myself for the fact that we both went in. That it was his choice to die despite me really hating myself for being the one to finally end his life. Why do I blame myself? It's because I was the one driving the knife into his heart. I was the one who won the games. I am the one coming home alive. We all don't know what to talk about so we just stand there silently, watching our grimy little station rise up around us. Through the window, I can see the platform's thick with cameras. Everyone will be eagerly watching our homecoming. Out of the corner of my eye I see Haymitch extend his hand. "You'll be my neighbor now kid. We can get through this together. I'll always be there from now on."

I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go.


	10. Clove's chapter

**Clove's Chapter**

Lilly Abernarthy. My soulmate is Lilly Abernarthy, the winner of the 72nd annual Hunger Games. The Ice Queen who killed her own brother. None of her titles matter to me because what matters is that she will be on the train stopping to drop off the mentors of our district. I run down the stairs and see my parents in their peacekeeper uniform waiting at the breakfast table. I take one piece of toast and head out the door to the car where I wait impatiently for my parents and my brother, Cato, to come out.

The drive to the train station was short but to me it felt like eternity. I try to take my thoughts off my nerves by mentally reaching through our bond to see how Lilly was feeling. I immediately flinch when a whole flood of emotion comes through our connection. There is Anxiety, Anger, Guilt, Depression, Hate, Loathing, Fear, Pain, Nervous, Excitement, and Hope all at once which is enough to confuse anyone. "Can we please hurry up!" I snap.

"Clove, we are going as fast as we can. Do not snap at me." In District 2 all peacekeepers will be treated with respect especially if they are family.

"I'm sorry, Father."

"You know that they will not let her off the train, right Clove?"

"I know, mother, but I need to at least see that she's alright." I need to know it's really her and not some clone.

"I'm not sure that is possible. We will not be allowed to let you near the train you know."

"I know, sir." I mutter dejectedly.

"Awe, poor little Clovie, little lovesick puppy" my brother mocks which earns him a hard punch to the arm. "Ow! Mother, she hit me!"

"You're a career, tough it out or hit her back." Father growls. This is good parenting as far as District 2 is concerned. Cato turns to hit me back but I pull my jacket open enough for him to see the three throwing knives I took from the training center.

"Clove took knives from the gym!"

"Clove!" Mother turns in her seat and holds out her hand "Turn them in now, Civilian."

"Of course, Lieutenant Stone." Using her rank to address her is the closest I can get to disrespect without punishment. It shows that I am angry at her but I still respect her. "Permission to speak freely, Lieutenant?"

"Permission granted, Clove."

"I would like to formally request that Civilian Cato Stone to Act his age. I believe he is currently fourteen not four."

"I'm the one not acting my age? You act like you just found out that District 2 will be celebrating Christmas!"

"Request acknowledged. Cato, act your age. We're here." I patiently as possible wait for the car to shut off before getting out of the car and walking to where I can see and be seen by the doors. Peacekeepers are surrounding two doors in particular; the one that Brutus and Enobaria came out of and the one where I see Lilly struggling to get through the wall of peacekeepers while she searches the crowd as far as she can see.

I start trying to get to her but my parents are holding me back "Lilly!" I see her eyes snap to mine and she literally starts hitting the peacekeepers to get to me. She elbows one in the face kicks one in the gut then jumps over five rows of peacekeepers then runs toward me while avoiding all attempts of catching her. I was so in awe of watching her I didn't notice the guy with the needle until I felt it go into my arm.

When I wake up I'm in my bed at home and she was long gone. I scream in rage and start throwing things before collapsing into a crying mess in the middle of my trashed bedroom. She was so close I could have gotten to her and now she's gone. I will see her again and next time I won't let her go. Never again will I let her go.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 **Two months later, Lilly's P.O.V.**

Finally, it was time I will finally get to see Clove again… my Clove! It's time for my victory tour where I would finally meet my Clove. I'm so excited I got up early and decided to go hunting for the first time since I got back to District 12. Since my house in Victor Village is literally right by the fence I could go through the gap there any time. I take Padfoot out with me and we find some good bird inhabited areas where we get some wild turkeys then we go fish and get really good fish. "Well how 'bout that! Turkey and Fish. I also collected some greens from the market today. We can have a good meal with the pack. They said they were coming over again today."

Padfoot sits and scratches behind his ear. I smile at him then look up at the sky. The sun was rising. "Let's go check the snares then head home. I'm hoping for a rabbit or two and maybe a squirrel." I of course got two rabbit on the same snare somehow and three squirrels on the other few snares. Back in my house I prep the food then start to cook it.

By the time Effie and my prep team arrives my friends are all gathered around the table and Wry, who was now healthy do to the medical treatment that I paid for, was telling the story of the time she got caught in one of my snares. "Hey there!" I answer the door with cheeriness that I've never shown before. "How are you!? You all must be hungry from the long ride, I bet you didn't even have breakfast yet! Come on in there's enough room for everyone! You all are early! Not much work to be done on my body as I've been keeping fit, shaved and perfect in just the way you showed me. What do you think of the décor?"

"It's fabulous! Where did you get this sort of decor?" Effie exclaims.

"I made a lot of it myself out of materials from the market but the posters came from Beetee from 3 who had to digitally restore them to new. Technically they are replicas but they are perfect replica's not one mistake or flaw. If you look out the back door you will see the hammock that I made myself. I got it set up then added a little pavilion around it so it doesn't get wet when it rains."

We all eat and where soon joined by Hermes. After eating, my friends were asked to come back later then I got inspected by the prep team who found not a hair out of place then they did my make up before wrapping me in a robe and sending me down to the living room where Hermes was. "Hello." I grin.

"You're in such a good mood it scared Effie who went and told Haymitch who was so scared he called Johanna who I think told Haymitch something about calling Finnick. By the time we leave 12 I think all of Panem will know."

"I can't help it. I'll meet Clove in—" I glance at the watch on my wrist, "7 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes and… 23, 22, 21 seconds."

"You poor lovesick little girl." He shakes his head playfully. "So I decided that for this tour you will be wearing the same style as before but this time there will be no smirking or glaring. You need to show the districts that you are actually sorry for the deaths of their tributes. I decided to go all out and had Beetee make you a new guitar that will be slung over your shoulder. Here's what you will wear today." Same leather and spikes style that Hermes had me wear before but without the fire. "You are not the fire wielder, or the Ice Queen. Show them that you are a member of the wolf Pack. Show them that you're an Alpha."

I stay in 12 for a short speech about Kolton than make the journey to District 11 which is shorter and more lonely than I expected. But once we were in District 11 I realize that I didn't know what lonely was until that moment. I was the last remaining tribute of the 72nd Hunger Games. I wasn't coming to congratulate any other winners because there were no other victors. It was me, just me, the lone victor of the 72nd Hunger games. When I hear myself be introduced I take a shaky breath then allow myself to be escorted to the stage. Looking out at the solemn faces of the people and the mournful faces of the families I felt my panic start to rise.

"I'm not good at speeches so I'm not going to waste your time with me stuttering like an idiot." The words suddenly start falling from my mouth before I could stop and think about what I was saying. "I wasn't allies with Pear and Apple… I didn't even take the time to learn much about them… but from the bit I did learn I know that they were good people. I know most of you still don't like me for coming out instead of them but you've got to know that I wasn't planning on surviving very long. I wanted my brother to live just like you wanted them to win. I will live with the deaths of 23 other people all because I was too selfish to try my best to save one of the other tributes. I would like to give my condolences to the families of the fallen tributes and I wish them good luck and healing. Thank you. Panem Forever." The entire crowd had tears in their eyes as they burst into applause. The families themselves came to give me the large plaque and I give them each a hug.

This happens in each district after my short heartfelt speeches each different. I was actually _liked_ by the people in the districts. In District 8 I stand with my father behind me and to my right while my mother was back and to my left. "First may I start off by saying that this is a beautiful place and Kolton would have loved it here!" This comment is mostly directed at my mother and father.

After another calming breath I begin "I would like to apologize for the deaths of Weft and Paige. In our short time training we became friends and I know that had I grown up here we would have been raised together… and gone to school together… and been best friends. They told me about how they live right outside of victor's village over their parents' shops. They told me how they would always go spend the day with my mom to help her get over her flashbacks… that they spent hours just talking to her to get her out of that negative train of memories. I am forever grateful for what they did for my family and I wish they could be here so all of Panem could see how kind and generous and all around nice people they were."

I see the tears in the eyes of my mother at remembering them then I realized it was getting hard for me to talk about them and I lean away from the microphone to clear my throat. "It's hard for me to think about my fellow tributes without feeling guilty and alone. They should be here because they deserve it. I wish the families good fortune and hope that they can forgive me for not sending at least one of their tributes home. Thank you. Panem forever." After I receive the plaque from here I am taken straight to the train and sent off so that I can be kept on schedule which means District 7 is my last stop of the day before I can sleep. After giving my speech I'm allowed to stay the night with Johanna. I am now only four days from seeing Clove. This is going to be a long four days.

Day four of the victory tour I visited district 6 then District 5. On Day five was Districts 4 and 3. Now it was Day 6 of the tour and the capitol had me go to district 1 then go to District 2 tomorrow. "I swear their trying to kill me, dad." I find myself saying as we approach district 1 "This separation is hurting me so much. I just want to be with her. I mean we just sped right past District 2 to get to District 1."

"I know, I know. But your mom said she's coming back to live with me and the wolf packs are all going to district 2 for their training which includes Johanna who is in the Wolf pack in 7. so you're gonna be living there soon enough and I'm gonna be with my wife and I'll even give up drinking."

"No you wouldn't." I laugh at him.

"I would too! Not all at once but a little each day until I'm completely over it. I would do anything for her. I'll do anything for you. I've only had ten drinks this morning instead of the twenty three I had yesterday."

"It's still early." I snicker before sighing. "But I get what you're saying. I believe you. Thank you for trying to distract me."

"What? No, I was telling you that I'm trying to get your mother back. Weren't you listening?" but the small smile was enough of a, you're welcome, for me. "Do you think I can clean up my act enough to get her back?"

"Well, I've not had much experience with drunks gone sober but I'm sure I can help. Also we have got to get you into shape. Not only for her but for all of Panem. What if there was a threat and District 12 needed you to be able to fight? They won't want to depend on an old guy with a beer-belly."

"What threat?"

"I don't know… escaped mutts finding their way in through the fence? I just want to be prepared for anything."

"That's the scared tribute in you still stuck in the arena… but I agree. I'll try."

"You aren't giving up drinking completely until she comes back are you?"

"Nope." That is as far as the conversation got because just then we arrived at District 1.

Once again I am shut in the justice building anxiously waiting until I am announced. When I hear the mayor getting ready to announce me I stand up and start pacing nervously until it was time for me to take the stage.

I nervously step up to the microphone. "Hello." All is quiet for a moment as they all stare at me. "I've never made friends with anyone in such a short period of time. But with the career pack it was different. Domitia, Ryker, Shimmer and Shine where all good friends to me until the end which is why standing here in front of Shimmer and Shine's family I feel ashamed and guilty. I probably don't have a right to feel anything especially when it comes to Shimmer and Shine—especially after what I did to them but I ask you to understand that they were hurt and didn't feel like living. I did everything I could to let them know they still had each other and they still had someone who cares about them but they just couldn't go on."

I see many of the faces starting to get angry and I try to back pedal. "Okay let me ask you how many of you know what Shine's token was?" one little girl standing with Shimmer and Shines family. It was their younger sister. "It was a photo of his soulmate right?" she nods. "And his soulmate died in the games a few years back. The only thing keeping him alive was Shimmer. When Fort Nox died then she couldn't go on. She wanted Shine to win like I wanted my brother to win. Once she was gone he had no hope or motivation. I was trying to help them reunite with their loved ones." All is silent. Emotionless faces stare at me. And then, starting with Shimmer and Shines father, there was clapping that soon spread across the sea of faces. I smile at them and thank them before accepting the plaque before leaving.

The train stops in a field between Districts 1 and 2 for the rest of the day and I took a wooden stool and my new guitar and spent the afternoon trying to think of something special I could to for all of the fallen tributes once I reach the capitol for one more interview with Caesar. "Hey, Kiddo. The peacekeepers want you back on the train in one hour for dinner. Effie was worried when you skipped lunch." My father stumbles over.

"I wasn't hungry… but I'll be there for dinner."

"Whatcha doin'?" I could tell he was drunk again but it didn't really bother me.

"I'm trying to remember a song that I heard that I can sing for the fallen tributes. It's the least I could do for them."

"Also trying to keep your mind off of that girl from 2?"

"Dad… Shut up." He laughs then I go back to what I was doing. We then spend the last half hour watching the sunset. "I wish I could live in an open place like this. Where I can see the stars and there's nobody around to annoy me. Just me, Johanna, Clove, and our land. Doing whatever we want there with no penalties. Little America."

"Maybe one day."

"Maybe one day." I look up when the train whistle goes off. "We better go before we get arrested." I stand up and he grabs the stool and we head back to the train.

I didn't sleep well that night and in the morning I woke up Anxious and excited. When Effie and Haymitch wake up they sit down and talk to me while my prep team did my hair and makeup. "Remember you are to greet her at the station and she will accompany you to the justice building but she will stay inside while you make your speech. Once done you and I will go with her to meet her family and to see where they live then we will come back to the train."

"We cannot stay because we must get to the capitol by tomorrow. While giving your speech you must not mention Clove you must not smile as if you are happy and you must be respectful because in District 2 Respect is everything."

"I know. I have been nothing but respectful in each District. I did not mention Clove once in any of the other speeches because I wasn't there to tell them about her I was there to say I was sorry for their losses."

"Okay." Effie says and they smile at me. "In that case enjoy your time with Clove."

When the train stops I step onto the platform and look around at everyone before my eyes see a familiar scene. Clove being held back by her parents with her brother… what was his name? Cato? With Cato standing to the left of their father. I feel my father place a hand on my shoulder, partly to stop me from running to her and partly to hold his drunken-self up. I walk calmly over, dragging my dad with me. When I was close enough Cloves parents let her go but instead of immediately embracing we stare into each other's eyes silently and somehow I felt as if I learned everything about her in that one instant.

"I've waited my entire life for this moment." I say softly. She reaches out and takes my hand then lets out a sigh of relief.

"I wasn't sure this if this was another dream or not." I pull her into a hug and felt that if I let her go this would all disappear and I would wake up a home. I look over her shoulder at her peacekeeper parents and her big brother.

"I think I'm being rude by not properly introducing myself."

"It doesn't matter. My family is going to be heading home right now to prepare for guests. You can properly introduce yourself then." As if on cue the three members of Clove's family turn and struggle through the crowd. I close my eyes and sigh before pulling out of the hug and leading her, my father and Effie to the car that will take us to the justice building. "Clove, this is my father, Haymitch. He's a lot of work but he's family. And this is my escort Effie. Haymitch, Effie, this is Clove." They shake hands then Haymitch turns to Effie and shakes her hand too. "Dad, you already know Effie, stop shaking her hand."

"I though' Effie was on da train!" He exclaims drunkenly.

"She can't escort us if she's on the train."

"Why dus she needs to export us 'cross da' train? Das 'tupid. I Don' Wanna learn ta fly!"

"Haymitch, take a nap." Effie snaps while Clove does her best not to laugh.

"No Nap! I'll Die! No Nap!" Haymitch panics and I realize it's a flashback. He then tries to bite Effie and I slap him across the face. He jerks back and sits up straight. "Wha' happened?"

"You had a flashback and tried to bite Effie's face off." I explain before bursting into laughter which sets Clove off. By the time we calmed down Haymitch had already passed out and we were now pulling up to the large justice building. "Clove, before I do this I need to know if your family blames me." I say as we walk into the side door of the building.

"It wasn't your fault. Dom died saving you because she respected you that much. When you sang to her it showed how much you respected her. You said goodbye with a solute only common in the culture of District 12 which to our District means you saw her as one of your district members which, even when it's a low income district like 12, is still the highest respect you could have given her. The only people you might have to worry about blaming you are the ones close to Ryker but you weren't the one who killed him so I doubt it."

"Okay." We sit together and wait. I'm so comfortable with my hand in Clove's and my head on her shoulder I didn't even realize that I fell asleep until I'm being woken by Effie who quickly fixes my hair and makeup.

"Wait until he calls your name."

"I know, Effie."

"It would make me a horrible parent to give you a shot of alcohol to wake you so have a large drink of coffee instead." I decline knowing that coffee would not work and instead accept a glass of water from Clove.

"Lilly, it's time for us to go on."

I look up at Effie feeling a little sick to my stomach. "Okay." I turn and give Clove another hug before turning and walking onto the stage with Effie and Haymitch on either side of me. With a sigh I step up to the microphone. "Hello, citizens of District 2. I am Lilly Abernarthy. Before I say anything else in my probably awkward speech I would like to start by saying that I respect all of you. Back in District 12 respect is something that is earned and we all usually keep rather distant from each other unless we have respect for each other. From what I am told respect here in District 2 is held in even higher regards than it is in District 12. Here Respect is required and I will respectfully honor these customs." I glance at Haymitch who nods his head a little to show that I'm doing good.

"Domitia and Ryker were two of the toughest most respectable people I have ever met. I would have been honored to have known them both longer than I did. They were more than my allies they were my friends. Domitia was there to tell me to stop feeling sorry for myself and for my brother and to actually try. She was not afraid to insult me or to point out my flaws. In the short amount of time I knew her she was the best friend anyone could ask for. And Ryker was awesome. He was strong, fast, vigilant, and just… the perfect candidate to win. I'm sure had the circumstances been different he would have won." I take a calming breath to prepare for this next part.

"I am so, so, sorry to say that his death was my fault. If I had left the matches when I went to look for Kolton I'm positive that he would have won. I respected him and if it came down to me or him I would be honored to die if it meant falling to a great warrior like Ryker Mason. I would have also been honored to have died for Domitia Brick. Both of them were great… far too great to have died because of a small twelve year old girl from District 12. I am not worthy to be standing here talking about them but because I am I ask for your forgiveness even though I'm not worth it. I am deeply sorry for your loss. Thank you for taking the time to listen to what I had to say. Panem forever."

I bow out of respect and am surprised to see everyone else respect me the same way. I can't help it as tears well in my eyes. I try to avoid looking at the cameras as tears and mascara streaks under my eyes. I pull the bandana from my back pocket and wipe away the tears and the running makeup before putting it back and turning to accept the plaque from, surprisingly, Clove. I grab her hand and allow her to pull me off the stage and back into the Justice building.

Once the city square was mostly clear we all go get back into the car and I lay my head on Clove's shoulder again but keep myself from sleeping. Her arm goes around me and her head lays on mine. Next thing I know, I hear Effie say both our names. "Lilly, Clove, wake up." I had fallen asleep again and this time she did too.

"You okay, Lilly? Tha' da' secon' time ya fell asleep." Haymitch slurs.

"M' fine. Just haven't been sleepin' well."

"Tha's okay, kid." He yawns "I fell asleep too." I look at Clove but she's watching the houses.

"That one there is Domitia's family's home. And that's where Ryker's family is. And this one is my family's home." It's a grey building identical to the ones next to it except for the number on a sign on the front gate. Number 325. "It looks better on the inside."

"I… like it."

"You're a horrible liar, you know."

"Do you like it?"

"No, it's ugly, but its home."

"Well, since you don't like it I feel no shame in saying it's rather horrible to look at. Good structure though. Perfectly built and well kept."

"You're into architecture?"

"No. I just can tell the difference between a nicely built house and one that looks like one wind gust will knock it down. If you somehow ever get to come to District 12 I'll show you around. It's awful, rundown and depressing but it's home. Shall we go in?"

"Yes. " Clove climbs out and waits for me to climb out all while never letting my hand go. We wait for Effie, Haymitch and our Peacekeeper escorts. Instead of knocking Clove opens the door. "Mother, Father, Cato, we are here!" she calls as she leads Me, Haymitch and Effie into the house.

The three of them come into the hall with a camera tailing them. Of course because the five tailing me wasn't enough, right? "Clove." Her mother pulls her into a hug and then turns to us. "Hello, welcome to our home I am Lieutenant Amelia Stone." I shake her hand.

"I'm Lilly Abernarthy, It's a pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant."

"I'm Captain Victor Stone." I shake his hand.

"Lilly Abernarthy, it's a pleasure to meet you, Captain."

Cato then walks over and throws an arm across my shoulders "So you're the one my sister has been dreaming about since she was born, eh?"

"Cato!" Clove growls.

"What I'm just asking! No harm done! Right, Lils?"

"Yeah, no harm. But let me ask you something. You care about your family a lot right?" he nods "So let's say they gave you a nickname that you never let anyone else use then I come along and call you that name. you wouldn't be too happy."

"What's your point, Lils?"

"My point is that the nickname Lils was used by Kolton and I don't want you calling me that if you don't mind."

"Oh… sorry… Lilly."

"It's alright… like you said, no harm done."

"Come on, Lilly, let me show you my room." Clove pulls me in the direction of the stairs while glaring at Cato.

"Alright, alright I'm done. Have fun, sis."

"Shut up, Cato."

"I wasn't actually talking to you this time, Clove." I turn and see Cato smiling at me and I smile back before I follow Clove upstairs. As soon as I see the room I laugh.

"What?"

"You decorations are a lot like mine."

"So it would look good in your house?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I want to move to 12 with you."

"No." I state.

"What?"

"You can't move to twelve."

"Why not."

"Because soon I'll be moving here to be with you. I can't live with you here in 2 if you are in 12."

The look on her face was one of surprise and joy. "Really! But why? How? What about your father?"

"I said soon. I hear that the enforcer's training facility is almost done so as soon as it is and the wolf packs come to train Jo and I will both be here."

"What about your father?"

"My mother is moving back in with Haymitch so I don't need to worry about him and once I make my permanent transfer I'll have an actual house to live in instead of a room in the facility."

"But District 2 is huge what if you get a house far from here?" we both sit on her bed.

"I was thinking about that and—"

"Girls?" we look up to see Clove's mother. "Dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Stone."

"You may call me Amelia as I am not on duty."

"Okay… Amelia." Clove and I follow her down and sit at the table next to each other silent as the food is placed on the table by a pair of Avox's "This food looks amazing." I say with a smile to Amelia.

"Yes well, I wanted to make a good first impression. I cooked it all myself if you're wondering. I borrowed these Avox's from a friend to help serve and clean." We eat for a bit in silence with me only looking up to glance at Clove every few minutes.

Finally after almost 30 minutes of silent clanking of silverware on dishes Captain Stone clears his throat. "So, Lilly, have you and Clove discussed living arrangements?"

"Yes, we have, Captain—"

"Please call me Victor when I'm not in uniform."

"Okay, Victor. We were talking about that right before Amelia came to get us. I'm going to be coming to the Enforcer training facility soon so I'll be here not too long after the building and Barracks are done. Then I want to do an official transfer and get one of the bigger houses. Clove and I are too young to live together alone so I wanted to invite all four of you to move in once I buy the house. Of course I'll have to go back to District 12 on reaping day but I'm sure it's not going to be too bad."

"Where about in two do you plan on living at?"

"Some place near the Enforcer building. As lovely as these houses are I was hoping to have more room that this so that I can decorate it and it's not really convenient for my job."

"These houses are ugly, dear; you don't have to sugarcoat that."

"Honestly the word I would use is bland at the worst. Trust me you haven't seen ugly until you've seen the houses at District 12. Anyway I saw these lovely big houses that are perfect I just have to decide which one to buy."

"You can't afford that!" Haymitch slurs.

"I can too I'm a victor remember? I'll buy the house and begin training at the facility. That's as far as I've planned. I didn't want to plan any farther than that without you because that would be inconsiderate and rude."

"So you're going to buy my family a house for free?"

"To be honest my intentions are primarily selfish."

"How so?"

"I'm doing it so I can be happy seeing you every day. And I'll be living there too."

"In district 2 we are all about respect." Victor states. "We feel it's disrespectful to have you waste your money on us."

"Well how about 200 dollars a month and we call it even? This food is amazing!"

Amelia laughs and says "Victor and I shall consider your offer later then we shall send you a letter."

"I'll leave my address and I'll accept letters any time." I glance at Effie who was now looking at the time. "I hate to rush things but we have a schedule to keep. Thank you for having us."

"Can't you stay for dessert?" Amelia asks. I glance at Effie who checks the time and then nods.

"Yes, we can, but then we really have to go."

After an amazing dessert we say goodbye and I give Clove an extra-long hug and whisper in her ear. "I know we're too young for anyone to believe it but I love you. I thought you should know."

"I love you too. "

 **Two months later**

Finally my parents got back together. It took a month to get trip permits to district 8 then when we got there we had to pack all of her things and have the boxes loaded onto the train. She says her goodbyes to family and friends then we leave. Now that she's living there the place is clean and actually feels like home. We all leave Kolton's room alone though.

Today I'm moving to District 2 with the rest of the pack. We pack some things and load onto the train. I bring Padfoot with me on a leash and I pack some things he'll need also. being on the train makes him nervous but I'm able to keep him calm.

When we pull into District 2 we're met by six peacekeepers with a large truck in which we load in and are taken to the new facility. "Welcome to your new home." our main instructor says. "while you are here you will all train together. Meals will be held in the dining hall and any problems will be handled in a boxing match. Since you are District 12 you're on the 12th floor. The pack from the capitol is above you and everyone else are on the floors below. You can visit each other on your free time and during lunch hour but not during training hours. Tomorrow the Capitol Pack will arrive then training starts the day after so let's get you into your rooms then you can explore freely."

Since Ash and I are the Alpha's we got larger rooms then the others. A second cot has been put in mine so Padfoot can have his own bed as well. "Come on, Padfoot." I grin "Let's go find Johanna."

Down on the 7th floor I find someone to direct me to Johanna's room and I find Clove in there talking with her. "Well this is perfect." I say as I open the door. "You're not allergic to wolves are you?" I ask jokingly as Padfoot runs in and starts sniffing each girl. "Down, Padfoot." Padfoot lays at their feet while I come in and close the door. "Not to sound like a parent, Clover, but aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"I had a transfer."

"To where?"

"To here!" She says excitedly "I'm going to be an Enforcer also!"

"Awesome!" I grin. "I can't wait to get started."

A/N: aahahahahahahaha—*cough cough* sorry. So I re-wrote this. It's still along the same lines but not as much. So for the sequel you'll see Katniss and Peeta go in. I can either have Clove go in or Lilly can go in again. Let me know what you think.


End file.
